Air Quality Reports
Stages of Review and Assessment
The Borough of Poole have produced the following stages of Review and Assessment of air quality to date:
Stage 1 (2000) After considering air pollution monitoring data from both local monitoring and other national information, the report concluded that objectives for Benzene, 1,3-Butadiene, Carbon monoxide, Lead and Sulphur dioxide were already met or will achieve the set objective. It was however reported that Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Particulates (PM10) may not reach the required objective by 2005.
Stage 2 (2000) A second stage review was carried out for Nitrogen dioxide and PM10. It concluded that there was little risk that the air quality objective for both pollutants would be exceeded in the area because of road traffic emissions. The report recommended that a third stage review and assessment for PM10 and NO2 was not required.
Progress Report 2005
All monitoring data for 2004 was assessed within this report and it concluded that air quality is similar to that of the previous year and the Updating and Screening Assessment produced in 2003, whereby it is still likely that all of the measured pollutants and monitored sites will meet the objectives set for 2005 and 2010, with the exception of those sites currently under Detailed Assessment; Poole Road, Ashley Road, Commercial Road and the Mountbatten Roundabout.
Detailed Assessment 2005
Results of the Detailed Assessment at Poole Road and Commercial Road show that annual average Nitrogen Dioxide levels for 2005 will meet the objective limit of 40 ìg/m3.
However, there were two sites where levels of Nitrogen Dioxide exceeded the recommended limit of 40mg/m³ - at Ashley Road and the Mountbatten Arms roundabout. The Detailed Assessment recommended that the Borough of Poole should declare these sites AQMA's. However, the diffusion tubes at these localities were situated at kerbside locations where relevant exposure did not take place, thus not providing information on concentrations at locations where members of the public were regularly present.
Therefore the tubes at the Mountbatten Arms roundabout site were relocated to a site where public exposure does take place; at Dolberry Road South, and continuous monitoring was undertaken over a three month period at Ashley Road and results indicated that we are meeting our objectives at this locality too.
Updating and Screening Assessment (USA) 2006
The purpose of the USA was to identify new sources or further risks to air quality in the area and further assess the risk of exceedences of the air quality objectives. Conclusions from the report show that a detailed assessment is not required for any of the measured pollutants and that air quality objectives are likely to be met. However, the report also recommended PM10 monitoring points to be set up at both background and roadside locations to assess levels.
Two locations, Ashley Road and Mountbatten Roundabout were subject to further monitoring for Nitrogen Dioxide. At the Ashley Road location, updated dispersion modelling in April 2006, verified by continuous monitoring for a three month period, revealed that there are no relevant receptors in any areas where Nitrogen Dioxide levels could be close to exceedence. The report recommended a longer period of automatic monitoring at a relevant receptor at this location to demonstrate compliance with the objective for Nitrogen Dioxide.
Diffusion tube monitoring was moved from Mountbatten Roundabout to Dolberry Road South where relevant exposure occurs. The report recommended a longer period of observations at this site, although the results to date indicate no exceedences. There was therefore no requirement for declaring an AQMA at either of these sites.
Detailed Assessment 2006
The relocation of diffusion tube monitoring from Mountbatten Arms to Dolberry Road South to determine Nitrogen Dioxide levels at the site of relevant receptors showed no exceedences of the air quality objective to date.
Three months of continuous chemiluminescence monitoring for Nitrogen Dioxide at a roadside location in Ashley Road allowed updating of the modelled predictions in the Detailed Assessment in 2005. The results show that although it is likely that annual average Nitrogen Dioxide levels are close to exceedence only along the southern side of Ashley Road in 2005, there are no areas of exceedence where relevant receptors are located. Thus there was no requirement to declare an AQMA at this site. It was recommended that more diffusion tube monitoring be undertaken at sites along Ashley Road, especially along the southern side, to allow continuous review of the situation.
Progress Report 2007
All monitoring data for 2006 was assessed within this report and it is likely that all measured pollutants will meet the required objectives for both 2005 and 2010 at all locations with the exception of:
- Commercial Road
- Longfleet Road
- Ashley Road
At these locations the annual average Nitrogen Dioxide exceeded the 40ìg/m3 UK objective. Consequently, a Detailed Assessment will be undertaken at Commercial Road and Longfleet Road.
A previous Detailed Assessment at Ashley Road in 2006 demonstrated that there was no exceedence of the Nitrogen Dioxide objective at this site. However, the Borough of Poole will collect detailed traffic information in order to implement traffic management plans and mitigate any future increases in Nitrogen Dioxide levels.
Detailed Assessment 2008
The aim of this Detailed Assessment was to determine if there was a likelihood of exceedence of the 40ìg/m3 UK objective for the two sites identified in them Progress Report 2007 at Commercial Road and Longfleet Road. Thus three months of continuous chemiluminescence monitoring was undertaken at Commercial Road and dispersion modelling was undertaken at both sites.
Modelling showed that exceedence was possible in 2007 at two relevant receptors in Commercial Road and probable at several receptors in Longfleet Road. However, the report recommended that more extensive diffusion tube monitoring is undertaken at both sites to obtain further data to input into the dispersion model to enable improved verification, and thus four further diffusion tubes were placed within areas identified in the report as possible or probable exceedences.
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