Cuts of almost a quarter to bus service funding in Suffolk have been blamed as a major contributor to the “health emergency” of air pollution.
The Campaign for Better Transport has criticised the Government for spending “billions” on expanding busy roads, like the A14, while reducing funds for local authorities resulting in severe cuts to bus services, which it says worsens the problem.
The concerns are raised in the final part of our two-day investigation into the problems of air pollution in the region, which today looks into causes and attempts to solve it.
Campaign figures show that between 2010/11 and 2015/16 funding for bus services in Suffolk reduced by 24% from £4.36m to £3.32m; while in Essex there was also a 7% cut in funding. In Norfolk funding for bus services was slashed by a third – down from £4m to 2.67m over the same period, the campaign said.
A spokesman added: “The Government won’t be able to reduce air pollution unless it fundamentally changes its transport strategies to reduce car dependency and enable people to use public transport, cycling and walking to get around –and it can’t just palm the problem off onto local authorities without proper targets and funding. Air pollution kills thousands of people every year so this is not only an environmental issue, but a health emergency.”
Suffolk County Council said it had made no significant reduction in its budget since the one in 2011 and had engaged with providers to encourage more sustainable methods of transport. “Where possible we would encourage the use of park and ride, car sharing and cycling as reducing car travel, particularly at peak times,” a spokesman added.
Transport is seen as a major contributor to air pollution, with many of the most dangerous pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2), arising from vehicle emissions, particularly diesel engines.
David Muir of Environmental Protection UK said emissions were a chief reason behind the UK’s failure to meet EU targets for NO2 in 38 of 43 air quality zones, including the Eastern region. “The most obvious answer is that the problems of road traffic need to be addressed,” he said.
According to Department for Transport figures, the Eastern region has the joint second highest level of car ownership in the UK, with an average of 1.29 vehicles per household in 2013/14. Households in “rural villages”, of which there are many in the region, owned an average of 1.75 cars compared with 0.96 in “urban conurbations”, the report said.
A separate DfT report found households in the East of England region also carried out a higher proportion of trips by car than any other region outside the South West. It also had the fewest number of trips by bus of any region.
Local authorities in Suffolk and north Essex, which are required to produce regular reports on air quality standards, often cite busy roads as their prime causes of pollution in their regions.
Where have air quality readings failed to meet targets?
Air quality standards have been so poor in 14 parts of Suffolk and north Essex that special plans were required to drive improvements.
Local authorities are required by Defra to carry out regular assessments and designate “Air Quality Management Areas” (AQMA) in places that fail to meet objectives. Although one of the AQMAs in Great Barton was later rescinded by St Edmundsbury District Council and a further AQMA near the Port of Felixstowe is expected to be dropped this summer, 12 are yet to show satisfactory improvements.
Ipswich
The borough has four AQMAs located around busy routes in the town.
Ipswich Borough Council included 23 “action plans” to tackle traffic pollution in its latest report. These included: offering free bus tickets to students at University Campus Suffolk; creating more electrical charging points for cars; raising awareness of other travel options; serving notices on vehicles for “idling”; and reviewing pedestrian crossings associated with congestion.
Colchester
Colchester’s strategy to improve air quality in four AQMAs includes investment in pedestrian and cycle facilities; the “Love Ur Car” driving campaign; the town’s new park and ride, which opened in April 2015 and the construction of the Northern Approach Road. The council has also introduced a Low Emissions Strategy to create an overriding plan to tackle transport emissions A partnership with First Essex has seen emissions reduction technology fitted to buses in the borough.
A council spokesperson said: “Studies have shown that there is no single solution to improving air quality.
“Colchester Borough Council’s recently-adopted Air Quality Action Plan outlines the series of measures it will take to reduce concentrations of pollutants to within legal limits, thereby positively impacting on the health and quality-of-life of residents and visitors to Colchester.”
Suffolk Coastal
Three AQMAs can be found in Suffolk Coastal, including areas of Stratford St Andrew, Woodbridge and Felixstowe.
However, after monitoring NO2 levels at the Port of Felixstowe and the Dooley Inn, Ferry Lane, the district council says air quality has improved to meet objectives and the AQMA can be lifted.
Carol Poulter, cabinet member for green environment, said: “It’s brilliant news that the AQMA in Felixstowe is being recommended for removal.
“Since the publication of the air quality action plan, the council and the Port of Felixstowe have been proactive in working together to implement measures to reduce emissions at the port.”
Forest Heath
Forest Heath has one AQMA, declared in Newmarket in 2009, which includes High Street, from the White Hart Hotel, to the Clock Tower gyratory and Old Station Road up to the junction with Rous Road.
The latest council report found air pollution exceeded targets at the taxi rank in High Street. However the report added “ monitoring indicates that the levels of nitrogen dioxide within the AQMA are falling”.
In 2012 the council put together an action plan, which considered the installation of electric vehicle charging points, carrying out further air quality awareness campaigns with businesses, managing bus routes into Newmarket High Street and encouraging cycling. A council spokesman said: “We constantly monitor air pollution levels across West Suffolk and work with both our planning department and Suffolk County Council highways to address any issues that may crop up.”
Babergh
Babergh’s AQMA was established in Cross Street, Sudbury, in 2008. A draft plan, produced in 2011, said the street was “extremely narrow and ‘canyon’-like”
Although the road had been widened in places, the report said traffic still needed to stop to allow lorries to pass. It also highlighted six parking bays “which effectively reduce the road to single carriageway when occupies”, thereby increasing emissions.
One of the proposed actions was to remove on-street parking to allow smoother traffic flow. But when this was first suggested in 2012, residents opposed the proposal because they feared it would increase vehicle speed and reduce the number of parking spaces in the area.
Last year it emerged that no action had been taken to address pollution in the street since.
Emissions scandal
Concerns over the impact of vehicles on pollution grew last year when Volkswagen admitted using software to cheat emissions tests.
It led to planned legal action against the manufacturer from its own dealers.
Modern diesel engines, such as those found to have cheated the tests, reportedly emit around 20 times more nitrogen oxides than petrol cars.
However they had been previously been promoted as a greener alternative to petrol due to lower levels of other pollutants, namely carbon dioxide (CO2). In 2001 the UK Government increased excise duty for petrol cars because of CO2 concerns, making diesel a comparatively cheaper option and resulting in a spike in sales.
Pollution ‘does not respect national borders’
More than a third of UK air pollution is reportedly “imported” from the continent, with the eastern region receiving the brunt of it.
The European Commission Impact Assessment on Clean Air Policy found 34% of air pollution in the UK originated from the continent. Meanwhile 77% of pollution created locally made its way across to Europe.
ClientEarth, the leading organisation behind the Campaign for Healthy Air, said the fact that air pollution can travel thousands of miles “in the right conditions” established the need for co-operative working across the continent.
“This is an international problem,” a spokesman said.
“Air pollution does not respect national borders, so that’s why we need cross border solutions.”
ClientEarth has also been critical of the Government’s engagement with Europe, highlighting its push to reduce air pollution targets “which could result in many thousands more deaths”.
Farmers’ attempts to cut air pollution in East Anglia
Farmers have acknowledged their industry’s role in improving air quality.
The National Farmers Union in East Anglia , said: “The NFU supports a number of initiatives designed to reduce ammonia emissions on farms and the release of gases including nitrous oxide and methane. These include the Greenhouse Gas Action Plan, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture by three million tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year from 2018 to 2022. We’re also a partner in Tried & Tested, an initiative that advises farmers on efficient use of fertilisers and organic manure. We advise our members to follow the code of good agricultural practice for protecting our water, soil and air as well.”
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