The next stage of City of York Council's air quality improvement plan begins this week with a series of workshops to develop an air quality action plan for the city.

The workshops will be taking place between July 31st and August 15th with residents, local businesses and key stakeholders to help formulate the plan. This is the next stage in managing York's air quality to meet national guidelines with targets to reach by 2005.

In January 2002 an 'air quality management area' was declared in the city because of the potential to breach government guidelines for nitrogen dioxide in five individual locations. This required the council to produce an air quality action plan containing measures to reduce this pollutant. The content of the plan will be focused on transport solutions, the main generator of this pollutant in York.

Derek Smallwood, executive member for the environment, said: "Although air quality in York is generally good, we need to make improvements so that within the air quality management area, we will meet the government guidelines. Local residents, businesses and key stakeholders have a key role in helping the council shape and produce the action plan for the city."

Andy Hudson, acting assistant director, environmental regulation, said: "We are using independent facilitators from the University of the West of England Air Quality Management Resource Centre for our workshops, as they are technical experts on air quality management issues. In the past they have provided technical advice to DEFRA, the government department concerned with these issues, and they also run a help line on behalf of DEFRA, giving advice to local authorities. Their expertise will prove invaluable during the process."

Anyone interested in participating in the workshops can contact Zoe Burns, environmental protection manager, on 01904 551529. Any proposals developed as a result of these workshops will be discussed with councillors and at ward committees throughout the city.

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