New action plan to be discussed to tackle village pollution problem

30 Jan 2024

An action plan to prevent a village’s air pollution problem from getting any worse, will be discussed by West Suffolk Council’s Cabinet next week.

It was back in 2017 that Nitrogen Dioxide levels from vehicles travelling along a built-up stretch of the A143 at Great Barton, were found to be exceeding national targets.

The area was designated as an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) by the then St Edmundsbury Borough Council, and an Air Quality Action Plan was put in place the following year. 

The problem was found to be caused by traffic having to stop and start at a school crossing in a built-up area which was trapping the air pollution rather than it naturally dispersing.

West Suffolk Council took over the responsibility for monitoring and tackling air pollution levels when it was formed in 2019. Working with Suffolk County Council who are the highways authority, it moved the school crossing, helping bring Nitrogen Dioxide levels down to 34.5 micrograms per metre cubed (μg m-3), under the target of 40 μg m-3. 

Now West Suffolk is revising its Air Quality Action Plan for the area, to try to prevent any increases in traffic over the next five years leading to pollution levels exceeding the targets once more. 

It has consulted with residents living in the AQMA and other stakeholders including Great Barton Parish Council. The feedback from residents suggests that a by-pass is the preferred option. 

But Suffolk County Council highways in its consultation response said any new road would need Government funding support and that it is “very unlikely” that this funding would be secured for Great Barton ahead of other locations in Suffolk, the East and the rest of the UK.

On Tuesday (6) West Suffolk Council Cabinet members will discuss four options one of which includes commissioning a feasibility assessment to look amongst other things at whether it is possible to re-route of heavy and light goods vehicles. The outcome of that work could then be used to try to secure funding for Suffolk County Council highways to make improvements to existing roads.

The feasibility work would also be asked to look at traffic modelling to consider ways to improve the traffic flow through the village and whether reducing the speed limit could have any impact on vehicle emissions.

West Suffolk’s Cabinet will also be asked to agree to other measures to prevent pollution levels rising in the AQMA. That would include the council working in collaboration with Suffolk County Council to implement traffic management initiatives in the local area, each of which would be subject to public consultation and funding.

West Suffolk would also engage with businesses in the area around ways that their lorry drivers or their sub-contractors can lower emissions and where appropriate direct them to sources of funding support to help toward upgrading vehicles.

And planning applications for commercial development in West Suffolk which could add to traffic through the AQMA would be required to submit details of strategies to ensure they keep their vehicle emissions low.

Cllr Gerald Kelly, Cabinet Member for Governance and Regulatory at West Suffolk Council, said: “With collaborative working, pollution levels in this area of Great Barton are currently below the national limits but increasing traffic – particularly heavy goods vehicles - using the road over the coming years are likely to push Nitrogen Dioxide above the thresholds once more.   

“That’s why we have engaged with residents in the AQMA, the parish council, businesses and other stakeholders to discuss solutions. 

“It is clear that this challenging issue cannot be tackled by West Suffolk alone and I will be discussing this in further detail with my Cabinet colleagues next week.”

More information including the consultation feedback can be found in the Cabinet report. 

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