DISAPPOINTING CLEAN AIR DELAY

“Trafford Labour Group’s positive proposal for achieving improved air quality in the borough has been cynically watered down by the Conservative Council’s amendments,” said Peter Kilvert, Chairman of the Breathe Clean Air Group.

The proposal put to the Council meeting on Wednesday 18th October aimed to tackle all forms of air pollution, but the Council has deliberately changed this positive move by only focussing on roadside nitrogen dioxide. They also added a further amendment delaying clean air until 2050. “This delay of over 30 years and the focus on road traffic pollution only, means that the Council is welcoming Peel’s dirty biomass plant, air pollution from coal bed methane fracking and possibly many more dirty processes in the planning pipeline,” added Mr Kilvert.

Air Pollution from burning wood is already causing concern in Trafford as wood-burning domestic stoves proliferate. It is impossible to filter out the tiny particulate matter produce by these devices. It not only affects the health of the owners of the stoves, but their neighbours too. In California only this month, the Governor has signed a Senate Bill which establishes a Wood Smoke Reduction Program supporting the replacement of wood stoves for clean alternatives. The US Environment Protection Agency says one wood-burning stove emits the equivalent particulate pollution as five old diesel busses.

The European Environment Agency in Copenhagen has announced this month that filthy air has killed half a million people in Europe in 2014. Air pollution is the single largest environmental risk in Europe. Particulate matter has estimated to have killed 428,000 people prematurely and the main source was domestic wood burning.

“It’s time that Trafford Council took air pollution seriously,” added Mr Kilvert. “They are delaying action until well after their own retirement time from the Council. They are allowing the Peel Biomass Incinerator to operate and pollute us for the next 30 years. The Council must not grant planning permission for uncontrolled, dirty processes such as power generation, incineration, factory processes and coal bed methane fracking as well as domestic wood burning devices.”

Trafford Labour motion:

This Council notes the government’s new air quality framework, which requires local authorities to submit their initial schemes for tackling dangerously high levels of air pollution. This will require Trafford to produce an action plan by the end of March 2018.

As we are aware, the World Health Organisation has said that air in the Greater Manchester area contains levels of dangerous particles which are above the legally safe level to breathe. Air pollution increases the risk of lung cancer, it can worsen existing lung conditions and stunt the growth of children’s’ lungs.

The government plan has highlighted that local authorities like Trafford will need to identify Clean Air Zones for local air quality to be improved. In the borough there are two areas which are of particular concern, the A56 and M60 Motorway. The A56 traffic air pollution has attracted concern from residents for a long time, and the increasing traffic volume on the M60 and nearby Biomass plant is a worry in terms of the negative impact to the health and wellbeing of nearby residents, and especially to young children.

There is a £255 million Implementation fund to support this process, and Authorities can then bid for further money from a competitive Clean Air Fund. This could support interventions such as improving concessionary travel, supporting cyclists and rethinking road infrastructure.

Council therefore agrees to:

• Note the importance of this initiative to reduce air pollution levels to a minimum, and how it fits in with the wider Greater Manchester strategy and the objectives of the new Mayor.
• Ensure that Trafford vigorously and quickly develops a local air quality framework, which involves extensive consultation and involvement of local people, to gain ideas on steps they would like to take to clean up the air in our areas.
• Continue to monitor and develop other strategies to tackle dangerous levels of air pollution in Trafford.
• Ensure that regular reports are provided to members and residents on the progress of the action plan and levels of air pollution in our Borough.

Trafford Conservative amended and unanimously agreed upon motion:

This Council notes the government’s new UK plan for tackling roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations, which requires local authorities to submit their initial schemes for tackling dangerously high levels of air pollution. This will require Trafford to produce an action plan by the end of March 2018.

As we are aware, the World Health Organisation has said that air in the Greater Manchester area contains levels of dangerous particles which are above the legally safe level to breathe.  Air pollution increases the risk of lung cancer, it can worsen existing lung conditions and stunt the growth of children’s’ lungs.

The government plan has highlighted that local authorities including Trafford will need to identify Clean Air Zones for local air quality to be improved. In the borough there is one part of the A56 near M60 J7 identified as a potential Clean Air Zone. The A56 traffic air pollution has attracted concern from residents for a long time, and the increasing traffic volume on the M60 and nearby proposed biomass plant is a worry in terms of the negative impact to the health and wellbeing of nearby residents, and especially to young children.

There is a £255 million Implementation fund to support this process, and authorities can then bid for further money from a competitive Clean Air Fund. This could support interventions such as improving concessionary travel, supporting cyclists and rethinking road infrastructure. In Greater Manchester this initiative will be organised by Transport for Greater Manchester who are coordinating all air quality initiatives on behalf of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

Council therefore agrees to:

• Note the importance of this initiative to reduce air pollution levels to a minimum, and how it fits in with the wider Greater Manchester strategy and the objectives of the new Mayor.
• That Trafford’s Air Quality Steering Group continues to take action to support and coordinate the delivery of the Greater Manchester Air Quality Action Plan.
• Continue to monitor and develop other strategies to tackle dangerous levels of air pollution in Trafford.
• Ensure that regular reports are provided to members and residents on the progress of the action plan and levels of air pollution in our Borough.
• Work with colleagues at Highways England and other partners to bring forward proposals for infrastructure investment that will provide an alternative to the M60 and support the development proposals for Carrington.
• Commits to fully engaging with the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework and recognises that having a long term plan for development and economic growth is a sensible way to avoid worsening air quality and congestion.

In addition, Council recognises air quality as a major issue and agrees to become a signatory to UK 100, a leading UK wide network of cities and local authorities campaigning for a Clean Air Act and wider improvements which seeks to devise and implement plans for the transition to clean energy that are ambitious, cost effective and take the public and business with them.

It supports decision-makers in UK towns and cities in their transition to 100% clean energy by 2050.

In light of this commitment, this Council therefore resolves to;

• match the ambitions of the UK100 Agreement through pledging to achieve 100% clean energy across Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council’s full range of functions by 2050
• work in partnership with our residents and business community to deliver against the commitments made nationally and internationally at the 2015 Paris Summit;
• turn these commitments into reality by supporting the Greater Manchester Combined Authority in developing a ‘route map’ to a sustainable future, working together with Trafford’s business, educational and residential communities as part of an integrated approach to a shared sustainable future.