Agenda item

Presentation and Briefing Note of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) to contribute to the consultation on Air Quality Action Plan prior to consideration by Cabinet

(Note: Councillor Caan, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Sport and Councillor Ali, Deputy Cabinet Member for Public Health and Sport have been invited to attend the meeting for this matter)

The Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) received a briefing note and presentation from the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that provided the Board with an update on progress of the Coventry Local Air Quality Action Plan, including consultation materials. 

The Cabinet Member for City Services whose portfolio includes environment, attended the meeting for consideration of this matter.

A report on the Coventry Local Air Quality Action Plan was considered by the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) at their meeting on 11th July 2018 (minute 4/18 refers) and their recommendations (attached as an Appendix to the briefing note) submitted with the report to Cabinet on 17th July 2018 (their minute 16/18 referred).

Since July 2018, further work had been ongoing to establish the baseline situation in terms of air quality within Coventry, and specifically the Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) levels measured at the roadside on major routes within Coventry.  The legal limit of NO2 had been set at 40 micrograms (ug) per cubic metre. The baseline air quality modelling information had been submitted to the Government’s Joint Air Quality Unit to be verified. Within Coventry, the main areas where Nitrogen Dioxide levels were forecast to exceed legal limits were Holyhead Road, sections of the Ring Road, and some of the main radial routes feeding into the Ring Road, notably London Road, Warwick Road and Walsgrave Road.

Work had also been proceeding on the implementation of an Early Measures Programme funded directly by Government grant worth £2,021,000. This work had focussed on the A4600 corridor, and had included:

1)  Engagement with major local businesses and schools along the corridor to promote active and sustainable travel as an alternative to the car.

2)  A programme of community engagement working with local residents to promote active and sustainable travel for local trips.

3)  The introduction of new technology to support better and more efficient traffic management along the corridor.

4)  Development of a scheme to improve the efficiency of the Walsgrave Road / Brays Lane junction at Ball Hill. This scheme had been the subject of public consultation, and was currently being reviewed following the receipt of feedback, including a petition, from residents, businesses and schools within the local community.

5)  Introduction of the try before you buy scheme promoting the use of electric-powered taxis to local taxi operators. To date, around 35 drivers had participated, or were booked to participate, within the scheme, and this had resulted in eight drivers making orders for electric taxis that would come into operation during 2019.

The Council was now, based on the baseline evidence, developing a package of measures that would be most effective at reducing NO2 levels below the legal limit in the shortest possible time. Transport and Air Quality modelling work was being undertaken to identify the most effective combination of measures, whilst a public consultation seeking views on the potential measures was also being undertaken during November 2018.

The potential interventions that were under consideration were:

1)  City-wide programmes of engagement with businesses, schools and local communities to promote sustainable and active travel, especially for local journeys within the City.

2)  Working with transport operators, including bus and taxi companies, and local businesses to ensure that buses, taxis and commercial vehicles in use within Coventry were low emission, with engines that were, as a minimum, Euro 6 compliant.

3)  Upgrading the traffic management and travel information systems operating within the city, including all traffic signals and supporting systems, to latest technology enabling more efficient and proactive management of traffic on the City’s network, and allowing strategies to be implemented that deterred traffic from entering air quality problem areas.

4)  Improvements to the City’s walking and cycle networks to encourage walking and cycling for local journeys, especially on those corridors identified as having particular air quality problems.

5)  Targeted improvements to the highway network to promote more efficient traffic flows and to reduce traffic congestion in areas where particular air quality problems were identified.

The Council was legally required to submit an Outline Business Case (OBC) on the preferred option before the end of 2018. Following feedback from the consultation, including from the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3), the OBC would be submitted to Cabinet for consideration at the earliest possible opportunity.

The Board questioned officers and discussed the following issues:

·  The DEFRA PCM model requirements for absolute Nitrogen Dioxide level readings – Coventry roads included and those not required.

·  Electric vehicle charging points – consideration of locations, the installation of 39 fast charging points in the City by next year, the residential charging points for longer charges.

·  Holyhead Road – difficult to promote the use of alternative forms of transport to many users of this major route who area not making ‘internal’ journeys.  

·  Consideration of internal scrapping scheme for older vehicles.

·  Emissions level concerns on Lower Radford Road and Foleshill Road that are not included in the requirements.

·  Monitoring work being carried out on other roads in the City that are not part of the Plan, supported by other funding streams offered by DEFRA.

·  Clean air zones – effects on businesses and Council’s desire to carry out other measures as an alternative to implementation of zones.

·  Park and ride – future use of electric vehicles.

·  The need for the future expansion of charging points in City Centre car parks.

·  Achieving compliance with the legal requirement without negative impact on the City.

·  West Midlands Combined Authority – Regional discussion needed and the promotion of public transport, in particular bus travel.

·  Ring Road not included in the Model – vehicle only route with no footway and no impact on the health of pedestrians.

·  Electric vehicle testing - old vehicle removed from road use during 60 day testing period, resulting in a reduction in emission levels on the city’s roads.

·  No charges for people to come into City Centre.

·  Planning Policy - electric charging points to be made part of supplementary planning documents.

·  100 National Express buses to be upgraded to EU Grade 6 level by March 2019

·  Installation of electric charging points for at Supermarkets.

The Board requested that Officers write to the supermarkets in the City to ask what they offer in respect of vehicle charging facilities.

RESOLVED that the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3):

1)  Notes the contents of the report.

2)   The Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities be invited to a future meeting of the Board to provide an update on what proposals there are for including air quality improvements in planning proposals through the use of supplementary planning documents.

3)   A further progress report be submitted to the Board prior to the submission of the full Business Case to the Government by the end of March 2019.