Norwich City Council are very happy to be supporting Clean Air Day 2020, Thursday 8 October.
Air pollution is one of the biggest environmental health risks we face today and is a real priority for the city council.
We’ve measured air quality in the city since 1998 and, through collaboration with Norfolk County Council, significant improvements have been achieved in recent years.
In 2012, ten of our monitoring sites exceeded the annual objective for nitrogen dioxide, the city’s primary air pollutant.
In 2019, that number had fallen to two.
For the last 2 years we have met the stringent World Health Organisation’s recommended level for small particulates – PM2.5.
With no new major sources of pollution and continued hard work, we’re confident the improvements will continue.
Our walking and cycling rates are among the highest in the country, encouraged by our extensive and interconnected pedalways. We’ve always encouraged shared travel or use of public transport.
We have also worked with Norfolk County Council to pedestrianise parts of the city and limit private vehicle access to certain areas. There has also been a concerted effort to work with our bus operators so we can move towards cleaner buses.
Councillor Kevin Maguire, our cabinet member for safe and sustainable city environment, said: “We are delighted to support Clean Air Day this year.
“Air pollution has serious impacts on health, especially amongst the most vulnerable in our society, and our efforts can make a huge difference in keeping people safe and well.
“We have seen major improvements in air quality during the Covid-19 pandemic, which shows that further progress is possible in the right environment. We must be mindful however that we balance environmental progress with the economic and social needs of the city.”
Our latest air quality action plan will be completed later this year.
Read more about Clean Air Day and the live activities taking place today.
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