What is an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA)?

All local authorities are required to assess air quality in their areas.  An Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) must be declared if pollutant concentrations are likely to exceed health based standards in any outdoor location where members of the public are likely to be present.   Where an AQMA is declared an air quality action plan (AQAP) must be drawn up detailing how the local authority intends to improve air quality.

Where are York's Air Quality Management Areas?

City of York Council declared its first AQMA on the 22 January 2002. The declaration was made due to elevated concentrations of nitrogen dioxide at five locations around the busy inner ring road.  Nitrogen dioxide is a brown gas arising mainly from vehicle emissions.  The area included in the first AQMA is shown below.  To view the map in detail you can download the larger version to the right of the screen.

The five red shaded areas are those where nitrogen dioxide concentrations need to be reduced. In these five areas properties are included within the AQMA boundary.   Outside the five shaded areas only the roads shown in red form part of the AQMA.

Map based on Ordnance Survey digital mapping with permission. © Crown Copyright reserved.  York City Council Licence number: 100020818 2010.

City of York Council declared a second AQMA in Fulford on 8th April 2010.  This declaration was also based on elevated concentrations of nitrogen dioxide.  The area included in the second AQMA is shown below.  To view the map in detail you can download the larger version to the right of the screen.

The orange shaded area (Main Street) is where nitrogen dioxide concentrations need to be reduced. In this area, properties are included within the AQMA boundary. Outside the shaded area only the roads shown in red (Selby Road, Fulford Road) form part of the AQMA.

Map based on Ordnance Survey digital mapping with permission. © Crown Copyright reserved.  York City Council Licence number: 100020818 2010.

How the boundaries of the AQMAs were determined

The AQMA maps show that the declared areas extend beyond the regions where nitrogen dioxide concentrations must be reduced.  The wider areas show where residents and businesses stated they wanted to see air quality improved during consultation on the AQMA boundaries . To find out more about the consultation on the AQMA boundaries you can download the document to the right of the page.

The declaration of the AQMAs required the council to prepare an Air Quality Action Plan and a Stage 4 Review and Assessment.