Air quality targets are predicted to be missed in eight hotspots across Brentwood according to a report presented to councillors.

The council must now look at setting up Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) to tackle the nitrogen dioxide levels in eight sites close to the M25 and A12 and at congested town centre junctions as they are predicted to miss targets being laid down for 2005.

The air quality objective for nitrogen dioxide is 40 micrograms per cubic metre, but the latest forecasts for 2005 indicate this figure will be missed by between 0.5 and 8.4 micrograms per metre cubed at these sites.

Head of Environmental Services, Simon Bennett, emphasised that levels were only 'marginally' above target levels in most areas and added: "This review shows that there are some places we need to look at in more detail and it is our duty to work towards the Government targets by putting together an action plan."

The Environment Act 1985 requires the council to designate any locations which are not likely to meet air quality objectives by 2005 as AQMAs.

After deciding on the boundaries of each AQMA the council must put together an action plan for each site.

Councillors on the borough's Policy board voted unanimously to move ahead with drafting proposals for the AQMAs. The draft schemes will have to be presented to the council for formal approval.

Mr Bennett said: "As part of this process we need to liase with various bodies including the county council and the Highways Agency as this issue does relate to the main trunk routes through the borough."

Measures that could be looked at are congestion management, vehicle checks and schemes to encourage traffic flow.

Published Thursday July 29, 2004

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