Air quality
Local air quality management: guidance
Local authorities have statutory duties for local air quality management (LAQM) under the Environment Act 1995.
They are required to carry out regular reviews and assessments of air quality in their area against standards and objectives prescribed in regulations for the purpose of local air quality management. Where any of these objectives are not being achieved, authorities must designate air quality management areas and prepare and implement remedial action plans to tackle the problem.
The Environment Act 1995 requires that when carrying out their local air quality management functions, local authorities shall have regard to guidance issued by the Secretary of State. The guidance below is issued by the Secretary of State under section 88 of the Environment Act 1995:
- Policy guidance LAQM.PG(09) (PDF 450 KB)
- Technical guidance LAQM.TG(09) (PDF 2.5 MB)
- Tools accompanying the Technical Guidance
Local air quality management Practice Guidance
Defra has also produced Practice Guidance on some of the more directly effective and ambitious measures that local authorities can take to improve air quality. Local authorities are not required to have regard to the Practice Guidance, but they will find it useful if they are considering establishing one of the schemes covered by the guidance. The guidance also refers to existing policy on economic assessment and appraisal.
- Practice Guidance on economic principles for the assessment of local measures to improve air quality (PDF 420 KB)
- Practice Guidance on low emission zones (PDF 400 KB)
- Practice Guidance on measures to encourage the uptake of low emission vehicles (PDF 440 KB)
- Practice Guidance on measures to encourage the uptake of retro-fitted abatement equipment on vehicles (PDF 370 KB)
- Practice Guidance Worked Examples (PDF 70 KB)
- Practice Guidance Worked Examples (Excel spreadsheet 140 KB)
- Summary of responses to consultation on draft local air quality management guidance (ended September 2008)
Further information
- Air Quality Management Areas (on Air Quality Archive website)
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Page last modified
16 April 2009
Page published 6 February 2003