Independent Oxford Alliance Group Motion

In February 2024, Oxfordshire County Council committed to spending £5.2m[1] developing plans to expand Oxford’s existing Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ). Although previously agreed in principle as part of the Central Oxfordshire Travel Plan[2], Oxfordshire County Council has not yet committed to proceeding with the ZEZ expansion.[3]

Each year, Oxford City Council produces an Air Quality Annual Status Report (AQASR)[4]. The report includes a detailed account of NO2 pollution levels, across numerous monitoring stations in Oxford and surrounding areas in the preceding year. The report also includes a commentary and analysis of themes relating to NO2 pollution in Oxford, such as the impact of the current ZEZ and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods on NO2 pollution levels.

Given the current development work taking place by Oxfordshire County Council in relation to the planned ZEZ expansion, it could be useful to draw on the insights collected as part of the AQASR publication process to produce an in-depth analysis of NO2 pollution levels in the planned ZEZ expansion zone.

Oxford City Council’s policy on NO2 pollution is that the local annual mean NO2 target for Oxford should be 30 µg/m³ by 2025[5], which reflects “step two” of the WHO’s updated interim target for NO2.

Oxford City Council notes that Oxford is currently in the process of taking delivery of numerous new electric buses, which have the potential to significantly reduce pollution in and around Oxford city centre[6].

The Council:

·       Believes it would be useful for Oxford City Council to publish a (non-statutory) supplement to its already-published 2023 AQASR. This supplement would help provide the public with the council’s baseline analysis of NO2 pollution levels in the planned ZEZ expansion zone, reusing existing data.

·       Further believes that subsequent AQASRs should also include an in-depth analysis of NO2 pollution levels in the planned ZEZ expansion zone.

·       Collectively, these analyses would assist Oxford City Council in deciding whether – in the council’s view – the ZEZ expansion remains objectively justified as a policy that the City Council should continue to endorse.

The Council therefore request that Cabinet ask those officers responsible for producing the Oxford City Council’s AQASR to:

·        Publish a supplement to 2023 AQASR (within three months of the date of this motion), which includes a detailed data table setting out the verified average NO2 pollution levels between 2019 and 2023, for each pollution monitoring station within the proposed ZEZ expansion zone.

·       To provide equivalent data in the 2024 AQASR, and in future years.

·       To ensure this data is accompanied by a detailed analysis of recent NO2 pollution trends within the planned ZEZ expansion zone, where reasonably possible, including an analysis of whether NO2 pollution within the proposed ZEZ expansion zone have yet fallen to Oxford City Council’s 30µg/m³ by 2025 target.

Council also asks Cabinet to consider not taking any decision about revenue and cost sharing arrangements with Oxfordshire County Council beyond the one agreed for the pilot (should they come forward) until the initial ZEZ pollution analysis has been completed.