Strategy agreed to tackle North Acton air pollution

Environment Agency and other stakeholders agree to measures to tackle air pollution at Horn Lane area in North Acton after summit held last month

Officials from the Environment Agency, Defra, the Greater London Authority (GLA), Transport for London (TfL), and the London borough of Ealing have agreed a strategy to tackle air quality problems in the Horn Lane area of North Acton.

The strategy was agreed at a Summit, organised by the Agency last month (June 17) which was held to review ongoing work to tackle particulate pollution in the area.

Measurements taken at the Horn Lane site, which is on a residential street close to industrial buildings, suggest that the area may have become the first in the capital to breach national air quality objectives for particulate matter in 2013 (see AirQualityNews.com story).

At the summit a detailed strategy was agreed which details all the sources of particulate pollution, the authority responsible for its regulation, what is being done to reduce the emissions, and when the work should be completed by.

In addition, the two main regulatory bodies, the Environment Agency and London Borough of Ealing, have agreed to start weekly inspections with an additional joint visit every month.

Monitoring         

The Agency will also be providing additional monitoring equipment and data management services to allow all partners to target improvements more effectively.

Chris Lowe, pollution and prevention control officer at the Environment Agency, said: “We have made some significant improvements to the air quality in the area of Horn Lane and we are committed to continue this good work.

“Sources such as the re-suspension of dust particles are having a much greater impact than before, and so this could be one explanation as to why the area has exceeded the air quality standard.

“Partnership members have regular meetings with residents and with the local MP, Angie Bray, to inform them of the work and what we are doing to help the area reach air quality targets.

Matthew Pencharz, the Mayor of London’s environment advisor, said: “We strongly support the work of the partnership and we are pleased to see the various organisations working together to tackle the sources of particulate pollution.

“Air quality in London is a significant priority for the GLA and the Mayor will be offering the full support of the GLA and Transport for London to this renewed partnership.

“This is exactly the sort of joint partnership approach the Mayor believes can make significant progress in improving local air quality in our City.”

Network Rail has produced a leaflet on their actions to reduce particulate pollution at the Crossrail construction site to the west of the Acton main Line station.