The Annual Air Quality Status Report is now a standing item on the Committee’s agenda. This is an opportunity for the Committee to note the report for 2018 and comment if it wishes.

Councillor Tom Hayes, Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon Oxford and Mai  Jarvis,Environmental Quality Team Manager, will attend for this item.

The Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon, Councillor Tom Hayes Oxford introduced the report by reminding the Committee of the unequivocal connection between poor air quality and people’s health. Progress in improving air quality in the city had been good but the rate of improvement was slowing down. The period 2008- 2018 had seen a 37% reduction in NO2 levels in places where it was measured. Air quality was measured at 72 city locations and the air pollution levels at 4 of them exceeded the annual mean legal limit value for NO2 (compared with 17 locations five years previously). The Council had built up considerable expertise in this area and its innovative and proactive approach had led, among other things, to grant funding which will enable the purchase of electric delivery vehicles, the installation of EV charging points across the city and the development of an ‘Energy Superhub’. As a result of this investment good progress was now being made with introduction of buses, taxis and the council’s own fleet of vehicles with reduced emission levels in anticipation of the introduction of a Zero Emissions Zone in 2020  in the city centre.  There was a growing consensus about the risks associated with poor air quality it was important for everyone to do what was necessary to reduce the risks associated with air pollution.

The question of being more prescriptive in relation to the Low Emissions Zone than is currently the case (e.g. that it should apply to HGVs as well as buses) was constrained by the fact that the Council is not the transport authority and any proposals must be agreed in partnership with the County Council, notwithstanding the good and growing relationship the City Council had with the County about these matters. Consideration would be given to exploring the initiative made in Sheffield which has run vehicles on biogas generated from the raw sewage treatment process.

It was noted that some parts of the city were not subject to air quality monitoring but were, at the same time, areas of relative poverty. In these areas it was likely that some residents would suffer from poor health and therefore be more vulnerable. Mai Jarvis, Environmental Quality Team Manager, said that while monitoring for the purposes of the annual status report was subject to strict guidelines, the Oxair project offered the opportunity to use low cost sensors much more flexibly.

The anti-idling campaign which had focussed on schools had been valuable.  Consideration might be given to extending it to other areas.  It was noted that while powers are available in relation to idling, the legislation make it difficult to take action against individuals. The Government however intends to introduce revised powers which will address this point.

The Committee noted that harmful emissions from diesel train engines and engines in  canal and river boats  close to residential areas should be subject to controls. The Environmental Quality Team Manager said that analysis of NO2 emissions from trains in the city had shown that, because of their distance from residential areas and the speed of dispersion, they did not reach levels which would justify action being taken.

In relation to boats, a letter had been written to the then Environment Secretary arguing that emissions from boats should be capable of being subject to control. No response had been received but a further request could be sent.

In seeking to limit access to vehicles to parts of the City, sight must not be lost of the parallel need to make those areas pleasant and practical to use for pedestrians and cyclists alike.

There might be merit in alerting drivers to the perhaps less obvious risks to them of sitting in vehicles in slow or heavily congested traffic as an added incentive  not to travel by car.

The Committee agreed to recommend to the Cabinet that:

1. Further consideration be given to measures to control emissions arising from the exemption of trains and canal boats from the Clean Air Act, particularly with regard to boats at non-permanent moorings close to residential areas.
2. The County Council be encouraged  to consider implementing parking exclusion zones close to schools in the City; and 
3. It seeks in every way to ensure that the City Council is empowered in the forthcoming Environment Act to take enforcement action against idling vehicles.

The Chair thanked Councillor Hayes and the Environmental Quality Team Manager for their contribution to this important matter.