Improving air quality in Tintwistle

High Peak Borough Council is proposing measures to improve the air quality along a section of the A628 Woodhead Road in Tintwistle.

The Council routinely monitors air quality at locations across the borough and, where standards are not being met, has a statutory duty to declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA).

This monitoring has identified that emissions of nitrogen dioxide from traffic are, or are likely to, exceed accepted standards at this location and declaration of an AQMA is the first step toward the introduction of measures to reduce pollution and improve air quality.

While the Borough Council is not itself a highway authority, and is not able to take nor responsible for taking remedial action, it must work with those authorities who are responsible for roads (including Highways England and Derbyshire County Council) to agree and publish an action plan to address the issue.

Council Leader, Councillor Tony Ashton, said: "We understand that this will obviously cause great concern to people living along the Woodhead Road and we have every sympathy for them. The key point is that by introducing an AQMA we can now put pressure on other agencies to introduce measures that will improve air quality in this locality and, by this action, we will protect the health and well-being of both those residents and passers-by.

"Over the coming months we will be consulting with partner agencies and then the next step will be to publish an action plan setting out how improvements can be achieved and how we'll monitor it. As part of the process we will want to hear from local residents who may have ideas about what can be done to reduce pollution from traffic in this area.

"We've written to residents advising them how to share their views and we're holding a drop-in event where people can speak to officers and we can answer any questions they may have. We will also arrange for visits to anyone who cannot make the drop-in session."

The drop-in session is taking place on Tuesday 4 September at Tintwistle Village Hall from 3pm to 7pm.