Streets choked by fumes

Jan 23 2006 By Tony Deeley, Birmingham Mail

FUMES from traffic congestion have led to a breach of nitrogen dioxide levels in Sedgley and Brierley Hill, it emerged today.

They have been declared Air Quality Management Areas by Dudley Council after checks which revealed problems at roadside locations.

Further breaches have also been confirmed in at least four other locations in the borough.

The problem was highlighted in a report to today's meeting of Dudley Council's select committee on the environment.

John Millar, director of the urban environment, said data collected last year had indicated that air quality in Dudley continued to be good.

However, breaches of the National Air Quality Strategy objectives on nitrogen dioxide had been confirmed at roadside locations in Sedgley and Brierley Hill.

"These breaches are related to traffic congestion in confined 'street canyon' environments," he said.

"Recent monitoring data also confirms further breaches at several other locations, including Pensnett, Quarry Bank, Wordsley and Windmill Hill near to Halesowen."

Mr Millar said the council had met its legal obligations by declaring Air Quality Management Areas at Brierley Hill and Sedgley and that similar moves were being considered for the four other problem locations.

An air quality action plan for Brierley Hill - which included revised travel plans and the construction of a traffic relief road starting in 2008 - had been prepared and a similar action plan was being prepared for Sedgley.

"Several West Midlands authorities have declared their whole boroughs as Air Quality Management Areas so that traffic congestion problems can be tackled on a wider scale. This option is still available."