Agenda item

For the Sub-Committee to receive the draft Air Quality Action Plan 2024-29 for more in-depth scrutiny following the initial presentation in November 2023. The Streets and Environment Sub-Committee is recommended:

1.     To note this report and the content of the draft Air Quality Action Plan at Appendix 1 and

2.     To provide comments on the draft Air Quality Action Plan prior to it being presented to Cabinet on 15 May 2024

The Sub-Committee considered a report set out in the supplementary agenda, which provided the latest draft of the Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) 2024-29. The Cabinet Member for Streets & Environment introduced the item followed by a presentation from the Head of Environmental Health, Trading Standards & Licensing.

The Vice Chair asked about the designation of Croydon as an Air Quality Management Area and heard that this would be the fifth Action Plan since the designation in 2002.  The Head of Environmental Health, Trading Standards & Licensing explained that the AQAPs were having a positive effect, but acknowledged that there were still measures that could be adopted to further improve air quality. Members asked if the resources to deliver the AQAP had been quantified and heard that funding would come from existing budgets (such as the Pollution Team’s); Planning Section 106 Obligations; Local Implementation Plan; Mayors’ Air Quality Fund (MAQS); Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) air quality grant, and Public Health funding. Lower cost measures around communication campaigns and synergy with the Council’s other initiatives, such as active travel, would also contribute to delivering the AQAP.

The Vice-Chair asked about the sources and proportion of PM2.5 small particle emissions and whether the actions in the plan had been quantified in terms of cost and effectiveness. The Director of Streets & Environment explained that a Steering Group would be implemented to monitor the delivery and effectiveness of the Plan, and that PM2.5 emissions came primarily from diesel and burning but it was not possible to determine the specific locality these came from or their proportions. Members asked if the AQAP had been discussed with DEFRA and if they would be providing any additional funding. The Director of Streets & Environment replied that there had been conversations with and bids submitted to DEFRA, however, the bids had not been successful. The Vice Chair commented that they were concerned that local authorities did not have sufficient resources to deliver ambitious air quality improvement and that the aims of the Plan were too ‘top line’. The Corporate Director of SCRER explained that the Council had not yet made any bids on the basis of this AQAP, as it had not yet been adopted, and that Air Quality funding for London primarily came through the MAQS, and that this may have contributed to the lack of success with DEFRA bids. The Sub-Committee heard that the aim of the AQAP was to provide a framework and objectives to be used as a reference when bidding for funding and working with other departments, boroughs and sectors to achieve air quality improvements.

The Chair asked what learning had been taken forward from the Council’s previous AQAPs. The Corporate Director of SCRER explained that this was a shorter and more targeted AQAP to ensure that it was achievable and deliverable whilst being easily understood by all stakeholders and partners. The Chair asked who would sit on the Steering Group and heard from the Director of Streets and Environment that the AQAP Steering Group would be chaired by the Director of Streets & Environment and be constituted of the Head of Environmental Health, Trading Standards & Licensing, Pollution Team Manager, representatives from SEND Transport, Public Health, Planning, Strategic Transport, Housing, and the Carbon Neutral Program Manager; it was highlighted that those who could help to achieve the objectives of the AQAP would have places on the Steering Group. The Director of Streets & Environment explained that the Steering Group would delegate actions to the responsible departments and monitor progress against these actions at its quarterly meetings.

Members asked if the Council had found that School Streets schemes had led to measurable air quality improvements. The Head of Environmental Health, Trading Standards & Licensing informed Members that a Local Government Association (LGA) study in 2021 had shown significant reduction in Nitrogen Dioxide emissions from similar schemes, and that these had parental support. The Director of Streets & Environment explained that this data had been collected through on-site monitors, but was yet to be analysed. The Sub-Committee asked if this monitoring would look at the impact of the schemes on the air quality of neighbouring roads. The Director of Streets & Environment explained that the initial School Street schemes had been adopted at pace and the Council was looking at increased traffic on boundary roads and the kind of complimentary measures that would help to improve the implementation of future schemes.

The Sub-Committee asked about health inequalities as they related to air pollution in Croydon. The Head of Environmental Health, Trading Standards & Licensing explained that Croydon was similar to other London boroughs but that residents living near major highways were disproportionately affected by air pollution. The Director of Streets & Environment stated that the public transport network in Croydon was not as developed as inner-London boroughs, and that this was a contributing factor to increased road transport and resulting emissions. Members heard that there were ongoing efforts through discussions with Transport for London (TfL) to improve and expand the public transport offer in Croydon.

The Chair asked about plans for additional monitoring sensors and heard that these were coming forward through different schemes, such as Healthy Neighbourhoods and School Streets, and that the AQAP Steering Group would help to better co-ordinate sensor deployment and data gathering. The Corporate Director of SCRER explained that Healthy Neighbourhoods and School Streets Cabinet Reports contained significant air quality analysis data, road collision data and consultation feedback. Members asked about the costs of monitoring stations and sensors and heard that fixed stations cost between £20,000-£40,000 with lamppost monitors costing around £2,000. The Sub-Committee heard that the fixed monitoring stations were continually calibrated and maintained for very reliable data, which was not the case for the lamppost monitors (although these were useful as a guide), and this accounted for the difference in cost. Members heard that the borough had four fixed monitoring stations, with procurement to replace the Wellesley Road station underway.

The Vice Chair asked if there would be physical monitoring for construction sites and the Director of Streets & Environment explained that this would fall under Construction Management Plans. A dedicated officer was working in this area and was proactively engaging with developers when work began, to explain the possible impacts of their development and ensure that the Plans were followed. The Pollution Team also had powers to engage with developers working outside the terms of a Construction Management Plan, or where complaints were received.

The Chair asked how the five ‘Focus Areas’ had been chosen, and heard that these had been chosen as the hotspot areas identified between the Council and the GLA through air quality monitoring data. The Corporate Director of SCRER explained that following the GLA monitoring steer helped to align funding goals around possible additional air quality monitoring in the future. The Chair asked how Croydon’s AQAP aligned with other London initiatives and heard that the AQAP had been designed to meet the guidance of the GLA and accounted for the London Plan.

Members asked how asthma levels in Croydon compared to the rest of London and the Head of Environmental Health, Trading Standards & Licensing responded that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) levels were higher in Croydon, due to a larger elderly population. The Sub-Committee heard that there was not current data to suggest that asthma levels in Croydon were higher than the rest of London.

The Chair raised concerns about the lack of timelines currently included in the AQAP. The Director of Streets & Environment explained that the AQAP was broad to ensure that the Steering Group could engage across the Council and with partners to agree deliverables and objective timeframes; Members heard that this was also the case at other Local Authorities. The Chair asked how the Action Plan would be prioritised, and heard that some actions were already funded, and that some could be funded quickly through Section 106 monies; the Delivery Plan would be developed with this detail and published later in 2024. The Corporate Director of SCRER explained that the Council had to produce yearly returns to the GLA for the work done under the AQAP and that these were publicly available on Love Clean Air.

The Sub-Committee asked about the Councils EV charging point rollout strategy and heard that this was currently being developed by the Strategic Transport team. The Head of Environmental Health, Trading Standards & Licensing stated that Croydon compared favourably with neighbouring boroughs and had 358 on street EV charging points. The Director of Streets & Environment explained that the Council was currently working on its Fleet Strategy and considering the infrastructure and depot changes needed should it adopt EVs. The Sub-Committee heard that work on the EV charging point strategy and Fleet Strategy would be taking place over the next 18 months with discussions taking place across departments. The Corporate Director for SCRER highlighted that there needed to be a strategic approach to delivering EV charging points, which looked at demand, payment method and grid infrastructure to ensure the Council could deliver the charging speeds residents wanted where they needed it.

Members asked whether the Council had spoken with Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes about their successful EV schemes. The Corporate Director of SCRER explained that they had, as well as other Local Authorities with successful schemes. It was highlighted that big companies would shift to provide EV infrastructure rapidly should car manufacturers move to EV production quickly, and the Council needed to consider what role it had in delivering infrastructure to fill gaps left by the private sector. The Sub-Committee heard that the Council needed to be cautious about installing infrastructure that could quickly become obsolete in an area where technology was advancing and changing rapidly.

The Chair asked what the Council was doing to encourage residents to move away from private vehicle use and increase the use public transport and active travel. The Director of Streets & Environment responded that Local Implementation Plan addressed this through a number of schemes, and that the Council was awaiting the results of a £3 million bid to TfL. Road safety education was currently being reviewed and budget identified, with it acknowledged that some complaints had recently been received in this area; the Sub-Committee heard that this was an area of focus for the Cabinet Member for Streets & Environment.

The Chair asked about school workshops on car idling and heard that these had been successful and had been focussed on schools in the areas with lower air quality. The Director of Streets & Environment added that children being aware of idling often took this knowledge home to parents and into their later lives. Members asked what data the Council collected on idling and heard that this was difficult to collect for a number of reasons, but that CEOs did approach drivers idling to educate and ask them to stop. Members asked if the Council would be producing a toolkit that could be handed out to drivers idling near schools and the Director of Streets & Environment stated that this was being developed with the Council looking at examples from other authorities and initiatives from universities. The Cabinet Member for Streets & Environment informed Members that there were already anti-idling signs on London Road and that they were considering where else these could be implemented.

The Sub-Committee asked if there needed to be more education on the effects of idling and the Head of Environmental Health, Trading Standards & Licensing agreed that there would be work on this as part of the communications element of the AQAP. The Director of Streets & Environment explained that a dedicated Communications officer was producing the annual campaigns and communication plan associated with the AQAP and that this should be completed by the end of May 2025.

The Sub-Committee asked about the effectiveness of previous education campaigns on idling. The Head of Environmental Health, Trading Standards & Licensing explained that these had been seen to be effective as they had correlated with reduced complaints about idling, and Members heard that officers also undertook pro-active and responsive idling enforcement. Members suggested that officers could encourage residents to use the ‘Love Clean Streets’ app for reporting repeated instances of idling.

The Chair asked what the Council would be doing to encourage, promote and facilitate behavioural change. The Director of Streets & Environment explained that the there was a dedicated Communications officer assigned to the AQAP and that the Council would do more to work with other Local Authorities and gain insights from their initiatives. Members heard that the action plan would outline how behavioural change would be achieved and link to other Council initiatives such as the Carbon Neutral Action Plan. The Head of Environmental Health, Trading Standards & Licensing informed the Sub-Committee about the National Clean Air Day in June, when the Council would be running an awareness campaign.

Members noted the limited promotion of Croydon’s cycle lanes, through social media or street signs, and asked what the Council was doing to promote cycle lanes in Croydon. The Director of Streets & Environment stated that the Council was considering how best to promote new cycle lanes when they were installed. The Sub-Committee were informed that the Council was also considering the use of Road Safety officers to deliver pro-active cycling campaigns in the future.

The Sub-Committee asked if the Council was considering expanding its ‘Smoke Control Zones’. The Head of Environmental Health, Trading Standards & Licensing explained that there needed to be better education around the way wood was being burnt (using wood burners, etc.) to ensure emissions were minimised but it was acknowledged that there could be better communication of where the Smoke Control Zones were in the borough. The Sub-Committee heard that exploring the feasibility of expanding the Zones would not require a great deal of resource, other than officer time and the production of literature. In response to questions about enforcement in Smoke Control Zones, Members heard that chimney smoke could be identified for breach by colour and that nuisance complaints from bonfires increased in the Spring/Summer period.

The Vice Chair asked about the use of Biodiversity Net Gain and Urban Greening to deliver the aims of the AQAP. The Corporate Director of SCRER explained that there was scope for this and that it would need to be discussed with colleagues in the Planning department about how best to do this. The Chair praised the addition of new planters and asked if their maintenance had been budgeted for. The Director of Streets & Environment explained that a planter policy was being developed, potentially with an annual scheme of inspection and mapping, but that highways inspectors were currently responsible for monitoring the maintenance of urban planters. The Director of Streets & Environment acknowledged that planters had been installed as part of other schemes and that these were not being maintained to the desired level. The Corporate Director of SCRER agreed and stated that further work needed to be done in this area to develop a policy.

The Chair asked if the Council was considering any measures around the pollution generated by the Beddington Incinerator. The Corporate Director of SCRER explained that this was monitored by the South London Waste Partnership Joint Committee and that this was currently chaired by the Cabinet Member for Streets & Environment.

Requests for Information

1. The Sub-Committee asked that they be provided with the current levels of asthma in Croydon and any available comparative data with other London boroughs.

2. The Sub-Committee requested a copy of the anti-idling toolkit that would be provided to schools once it had been developed.

3. The Sub-Committee requested information on the number of breaches in Smoke Control Zones over the last two years.

4. The Sub-Committee requested to be kept updated with the development of the Planter Policy.

5. The Sub-Committee requested that it be kept up to date with the development of any strategy or actions resulting from the Air Quality Action Plan focussing on behavioural change.

Conclusions

1. The Sub-Committee welcomed the Council’s planned strategic approach to develop a forthcoming Electric Vehicle Charging Point rollout Strategy and expressed an interest in hearing about this at a future meeting.

2. The Sub-Committee were encouraged that the Air Quality Action Plan would look at the feasibility of expanding Croydon’s existing ‘Smoke Free Zones’.

Recommendations

1. The Sub-Committee recommended that the Council further consider the roles that Biodiversity Net Gain and Urban Greening could have as part of the Air Quality Action Plan 2024-29.

2. The Sub-Committee recommended that officers work with the Planning department to see what conditions around air quality could be developed for use with future developments.

3. The Sub-Committee recommended that officers consider what air quality initiatives could be embedded in the Local Plan around specific construction techniques, which could promote better air quality.