Draft Air Quality Action Plan

Consultation Report

 

Introduction

A draft Air Quality Action plan (2022-27) was produced for public consultation. Results from this will be fed into the production of the final plan which will be presented to November Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee. 

An Air Quality Action Plan (2022-2027) is required as part of our statutory duties under the Environment Act 1995, as stipulated by the Local Air Quality

Management (LAQM) framework.

 

Headlines

o   64% of almost 300 respondents feel informed or very informed about air quality in the city.

o   35.1% of all respondents own or have access to a petrol-car less than 15 years old compared to only 8.6% older than 15 years[1].

o   21.9% of all respondents own or have access to a diesel car or van more than 5 years old, compared to 7.5% with access to a diesel car or can less than 5 years old

In order of importance, based on the consultation responses, the priorities are ranked as follows:

o   Priority 4: Reduce emissions from buildings and new development based on the feedback received considered to be the most important of the 5 priorities at 86.7%[2] .  Within Priority 4:

o   Highest levels of support[3] - ‘increased information on clean home heating and subsidies available’ 85.2%

o   Lowest levels of support3 - ‘encouraging reducing the amount of solid fuel burning at home’ at 62.8%

o   Priority 1: Increase active travel, support mode shift and reduce the need to travel:

o   Highest levels of support3 are for ‘better public transport links’, at 86.5% if this was going to improve air quality

o   Lowest levels of support3 - ‘installation of a cycle hangar near my home’ at 50.9%

o   Priority 2: Encourage and support uptake of ultralow and zero emission vehicles:

o   Highest levels of support3 - ‘more ultra-low emission buses in operation’ (92.4%)

o   Lowest levels of support3 – ‘discounted parking permits for lower emission vehicles’ (57.2%).

o   Priority 3: Improve and public awareness:

o   64.5% of respondents already use news and weather reports to find out about air quality compared to only 8.6% using Sussex Air Alert System. There is scope for promoting various alert systems eg 91.4% of respondents say they would use Sussex Air Alert System and 87.4% would use online real time air quality information.

o   12.7% of respondents have switched to cleaner energy already and 32.3% could do so in future with support.

o   9.1% of respondents have already purchased or hire a low or zero exhaust vehicle and a further 45.4% could do so with support (types of support mentioned feature on p15).

 

Methodology

An online survey via the council’s consultation portal, Citizen Space was open from 16 May to 10 July 2022. Further separate responses were also received in response to the consultation.  The survey was publicised via the council’s social media, through direct emails and through the council’s Active & Inclusive Travel Forum. Posters were sent to organisations within the city to publicise the consultation, including sports venues and GP surgeries. A contact phone number and email address were available for people to request paper copies of the draft plan and the questionnaire.

 

Results

There were 279 responses to the survey. 8 submissions were from stakeholders, 2 of these left comments which are summarised on p17-18, along with summaries of stakeholder comments received by email.

Q         How would you rate your awareness of air quality and pollution in the city[4]?

 

Number

%

Very well informed

33

12.0

Fairly well informed

143

52.0

Neither informed or not informed

40

14.5

Not very informed

47

17.1

Not informed at all

12

4.4

Total

275

100

 

Well over half of respondents (64%) feel either very or fairly well informed about air quality and pollution in the city.

 

 

 

 

Q         Which of the following do you own or have access to? (respondents could choose more than one option)

 

 

Number

% of all respondents[5]

A petrol car or van more than 15 years old

24

8.6

A petrol car or van less than 15 years old

98

35.1

A diesel car or van more than 5 years old

61

21.9

A diesel car or van less than 5 years old

21

7.5

An electric car or van

9

3.2

A hybrid car or van

17

6.1

An electric motorcycle or moped

1

0.4

None of the above

70

25.1

 

8.6% of respondents own, or have access to, older[6] petrol cars or vans but for older[7] diesel vehicles this is higher at 21.9%.

 


Q         How important do you think our Air Quality Priorities are?

Reducing emissions from buildings and new development (Priority 4) is considered to be the most important2 of the 5 priorities at 86.7% and Partnership working (Priority 5) the lowest at 70.8%

 

Very important

Important

Neither important or not important

Not very important

Not at all important

Total

 

No.

%

No.

%

No.

%

No.

%

No.

%

 

Increase active travel, support mode shift and reduce the need to travel

159

57.4

46

16.6

22

7.6

24

9.0

26

9.4

277

Encourage and support uptake of ultralow and zero emission vehicles

117

42.4

84

30.4

25

9.1

23

8.3

27

9.8

276

Improve monitoring and public awareness

132

47.8

85

30.8

28

10.1

19

6.9

12

4.3

276

Reduce emissions from buildings and new development

167

60.3

73

26.4

19

6.9

9

3.2

9

3.2

277

Partnership working

92

36.8

85

34.0

44

17.6

9

3.6

20

8.0

250

 

 

 

 

 

Q         How informed do you feel about how you could contribute to improving air quality where you live?

Over 55% of respondents feel either fairly or very well informed about air quality both in their local neighbourhood and in the city.

 

 

Very well informed

Fairly well informed

Neither informed or not informed

Not very informed

Not informed at all

Total

 

No.

%

No.

%

No.

%

No.

%

No.

%

 

In your local neighbourhood

63

25.4

82

33.1

48

19.3

32

12.9

23

9.3

248

In the city

61

24.6

90

36.3

45

18.1

34

13.7

18

7.3

248

 

Priority 1: Increase active travel, support mode shift and reduce the need for travel

Q         Which of the following would you use support if they were going to improve air quality?[8]

Within Priority 1 highest levels of support3 are for ‘better public transport links’, at 86.5% compared to lowest levels of support3 for the ‘installation of a cycle hangar near my home’ at 50.9%

 

 

Strongly support

Somewhat support

Neither support or not support

Somewhat oppose

Strongly oppose

Total

 

No.

%

No.

%

No.

%

No.

%

No.

%

 

More support for homeworking or online appointments

104

38.2

80

29.4

48

17.6

7

2.6

33

12.1

272

Expansion of the BTN Bikeshare scheme

97

35.4

79

28.8

41

15.0

20

7.3

37

13.5

274

Installation of a cycle hangar near my home

86

31.7

52

19.2

66

24.4

19

7.0

48

17.7

271

Better access to cycle maintenance or training

86

31.5

77

28.2

65

23.8

19

7.0

26

9.5

273

Introduction of a Park and Ride

118

43.5

76

28.0

44

16.2

13

4.8

20

7.4

271

Better public transport links

191

69.7

46

16.8

29

10.6

5

1.8

3

1.1

274

Increase in parking permit charges for additional vehicles

110

40.4

42

15.4

22

8.1

24

8.8

74

27.2

272

Low Traffic neighbourhoods

122

45.5

41

15.3

24

9.0

11

4.1

70

26.1

268

Liveable city centre

152

58.5

24

9.2

29

11.2

16

6.2

39

15.0

260

More attractive and better designed spaces

174

63.7

52

19.0

31

11.4

9

3.3

7

2.6

273

Availability of amenities more locally (eg local shops)

139

50.9

77

28.2

47

17.2

3

1.1

7

2.6

273

 

 

Priority 2: Encourage and support uptake of ultralow and zero emission vehicles

Q         Which of the following would you use support if they were going to improve air quality?[9]

Within Priority 2, highest levels of support3 are for ‘more ultra-low emission buses in operation’ (92.4%) and lowest levels of support3 are for ‘discounted parking permits for lower emission vehicles’ (57.2%).

 

 

Strongly support

Somewhat support

Neither support or not support

Somewhat oppose

Strongly oppose

Total

 

No.

%

No.

%

No.

%

No.

%

No.

%

 

More information on low or zero exhaust vehicles and subsidies available

114

41.3

86

31.2

51

18.5

6

2.2

19

6.9

276

Car club or hire schemes that have electric vehicles

118

43.4

64

23.5

64

23.5

5

1.8

21

7.7

272

More availability of electric vehicle charging points

135

49.3

70

25.5

49

17.9

6

2.2

14

5.1

274

Discounted parking permits for lower emission vehicles

93

34.1

63

23.1

54

19.8

20

7.3

43

15.8

273

More ultra-low emission buses in operation

212

77.4

41

15.0

15

5.5

1

0.4

5

1.8

274

Increase in electric or ultra-low emission taxis

167

60.5

59

21.4

34

12.3

3

1.1

13

4.7

276

An expanded ULEZ

102

42.3

33

13.7

47

19.5

9

3.7

50

20.7

241

The option to select an electric vehicle or e-cargo bike for home deliveries

109

40.5

56

20.8

77

28.6

7

2.6

20

7.4

269

 

 

Priority 3: Improve Monitoring and Public Awareness

Q         Which of the following would you use to find out about air quality?

 

Within Priority 3, 64.5% of respondents already use news and weather reports to find out about air quality compared to only 8.6% using Sussex Air Alert System. There is scope for promoting various alert system that people may not have knowledge of.

 

Already Use

Would use

Total

 

No.

%

No.

%

 

Real time air quality levels available online

27

12.6

187

87.4

214

Sussex Air Alert System

16

8.6

170

91.4

186

Promotional events eg car free day or walk to school week

30

19.1

127

80.9

157

Council updates via the website, social media etc

43

23.9

137

76.1

180

Promotional campaigns eg seasonal smoke control information

25

14.8

144

85.2

169

Local or national news and weather reports

136

64.5

75

35.5

211

 

Priority 4: Reduce emissions from buildings and new development

Q         Which of the following would you use support if they were going to improve air quality?

This is considered to be the most important of the 5 priorities at 86.7%2 (p4). Highest levels of support3 are for ‘increased information on clean home heating and subsidies available’ 85.2%3 and lowest levels of support3 are for ‘encouraging reducing the amount of solid fuel burning at home’ at 62.8%

 

Strongly support

Somewhat support

Neither support or not support

Somewhat oppose

Strongly oppose

Total

 

No.

%

No.

%

No.

%

No.

%

No.

%

 

Increased information on clean home heating and subsidies available

164

60.5

67

24.7

30

11.1

3

1.1

7

2.5

271

For new developments, avoid diesel generators as auxiliary back up

159

59.8

49

18.4

35

13.2

10

3.8

13

4.9

266

Seek development opportunities to allow more roadside space for fresh air

155

58.3

39

14.7

49

18.4

8

3.0

15

5.6

266

Encourage reducing the amount of solid fuel burning at home (eg open fires)

121

45.0

48

17.8

52

19.3

19

7.1

29

10.8

269

Measures to ensure only well-seasoned dry wood or smokeless fuels being burnt in an efficient stove

139

51.5

54

20.0

44

16.3

11

4.1

22

8.1

270

Explore ways to reduce emissions at construction sites

169

62.4

60

22.1

33

12.2

3

1.1

6

2.2

271

Explore ways to reduce emissions at events and leisure sites

165

60.4

58

21.2

40

14.7

3

1.1

7

2.6

273

 


 


Q Which of the following could you easily contribute to?[10]

 

I already do / have done this

I could do this in future

I could do this in future with support

I could not do this in future

Total

 

No.

%

No.

%

No.

%

No.

%

Choose active travel for more city journeys

197

75.2

11

4.2

19

7.3

35

12.5

262

Choose public transport for more journeys

168

64.4

29

11.1

30

11.5

34

13.0

261

Reduce driving in my current vehicle(s)

141

63.5

19

8.6

15

6.8

47

21.2

222

Purchase or hire a low or zero exhaust vehicle

42

19.1

51

23.2

71

32.3

56

25.5

220

Adapt my driving style without rapid accelerations and hard braking

171

81.8

21

10.0

7

3.3

10

4.8

209

Check my tyre pressures more often

140

66.0

62

29.2

5

2.4

5

2.4

212

Reduce or avoid fireworks at home

182

81.3

19

8.5

4

1.8

19

8.5

224

Reduce or avoid bonfires at home

181

80.8

16

7.1

9

4.0

18

8.0

224

Switch your home heating to cleaner energy like solar, electric and heat pumps

33

12.7

47

18.1

118

45.4

62

23.8

260

Reduce fuel use by insulating your home

103

40.1

54

21.0

68

26.5

32

12.5

257

 

o   12.7% of respondents have switched to cleaner energy already and 32.3% could do so in future with support.

o   9.1% of respondents have already purchased or hire a low or zero exhaust vehicle and a further 45.4% could do so with support (types of support mentioned feature on p15).


 


If respondents said, ‘I could do this with support’ they were asked to give more details. There were 218 comments made which have been themed as follows:

Comment (top ten)

No. of times mentioned

Cleaner energy / heat pumps - too expensive / grants / subsidies

61

EVs - too expensive / needs subsidy

37

Insulation - too expensive / grants / community buying / subsidies

37

Need more info/ advice on cleaner energy

16

Buses  - want better/ cheaper / more frequent bus service/ to outlying areas/ not all via city centre/ night buses/ Park and Ride

15

Renting home / council / housing association - can't change it/ landlord responsible

14

EVs - infrastructure/ technology needs to be improved

10

General Financial support needed

5

Conservation Area - double glazed front windows are difficult / need more information on restrictions/ too expensive

4

Walking - better infrastructure / pavements/ crossings/ for disabled

3

Difficult to retro-fit heat pumps / older houses

3

 

Any other comments

Comment (top ten)

No. of times mentioned

Reduce bottlenecks / Improve road layouts / Preston Circus / Bear Road-Lewes Road / Rottingdean / arterial routes / essential traffic only /  reverse last 5 years TROs / remove cycle lanes

19

Ban / discourage / regulate: wood burning stoves / open fires / bonfires / at allotments / BBQs / fire pits / introduce wider smoke control

15

Cycling - more / better / safer / joined up infrastructure / routes / school routes/ on seafront / east-west / north-south / Old Shoreham Road

13

Reduce numbers of cars / in residential areas /multiple car ownership / diesel vehicles / car usage / short journeys / in city centre / including EVs / for Car Free Day

12

Park & Ride / for non-residents / commuters / shift tourists to public transport

12

Increase parking charges/ in city centre / for larger cars / more controlled parking / remove / reduce parking in BN1

8

Free/ Subsidised/ cheaper bus fares

6

Need smart traffic lights

5

Idling engines / are a problem / educate / more signs / fines

5

Plan not comprehensive enough / not future proofed / want glossary / multi choice questions wrong / priorities wrong / no costs given

5

 

 

About you

Q         How have you heard about this consultation?

Method

No.

%

I read about it on the council website

40

14.3

I read about it on social media

150

53.8

I heard about it by word of mouth

24

8.6

I read about it in the local press

19

6.8

I saw a poster

2

0.7

Other (see below)

41

14.7

 

Other

 

Number

School

11

Local Community Magazines - Goldstone Valley Residents Association News Sheet (x1), The Post Magazine (x1), The Hovarian (x1), Preston Pages (x1), West Hove Forum Newsletter (x1), Latest Brighton Business News (x1)

6

Email (includes Local Access Forum (x1) Community group/ Association (x2) from Council Officer (x1)

5

Hollingdean News

3

North Laine Runner / Community Association / Community website

4

Labour Party

3

Local Councillor / Rottingdean Parish Council

3

Community Works

2

Better Points app

1

BHEP

1

Council's Consultation site

1

Council meeting

1

The Wave

1

Twitter

1

Sussex CCGs

1

 

Q         How are you responding to this consultation?

Method

No.

%

As an individual

270

97.8

As a representative of a business, organisation or group

·         Member of Rottingdean Parish Council (x2)

·         Member of The Green Centre

·         Chair of Friends of Wish Park, committee member of West Hove Forum and committee member of Friends of Hove Lagoon

·         Cycling UK's Cycle Advocacy Network, Local Representative, Brighton and Hove

·         Small business owner

·         Locksmith

·         Surveying business owner

8

2.2

 

 

Comments from stakeholders - received as part of the online consultation:

 

Chair of Friends of Wish Park, committee member of West Hove Forum and committee member of Friends of Hove Lagoon

 

·         Move towards the majority of BHCC buses to be electric to reduce pollution to outlying areas

·         Negotiate with car manufacturers to do more research and development for other future vehicle zero carbon emission fuels

 

Cycling UK's Cycle Advocacy Network, Local Representative, Brighton and Hove

 

·         Prioritise seeking funding to achieve early implementation of the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan.

·         Free/subsidised public transport for children and young people.

·         Introduce congestion charging

·         Ensure that Workplace Travel Plans have targets for non-car use and are enforced with sanctions for non-achievement.

·         Ensure that the design of new developments is improved to prevent emissions from built-in car dependence, or that the application is refused.

·         Public transport, walking and cycling routes to be available before occupation of new residential developments.

·         Greater limitations on where large polluting SUV's can be driven and parked, for air quality (and safety) reasons.

·         Assess Park and Ride on the basis of resulting motor traffic generation, increased vehicle emissions around car parking areas, increased motorised journeys on access roads, loss of valuable land for more sustainable purposes, potential to undermine more sustainable 'whole journey' door-to-door transport, cost of subsidies allocated to support motorised transport and car parks, increased total number of parking places (unless city centre parking is reduced by the equivalent number of spaces at the proposed Park and Ride car park).

·         How will "Mitigation" of "residential and other parking" be achieved by adding electric vehicle charging points unless petrol/diesel vehicles are reliably excluded?

 

 

 

 

 

Comments from stakeholders - received by email:

 

American Express Services Europe Limited[11]

 

American Express fully supports the City Council’s commitment to reduce emissions and improving air quality in the City. Brighton and Hove City Council has already made strides to make it easier and safer for people to travel actively and sustainably, and we believe that the Draft Air Quality Action Plan sets out a credible path to truly make Brighton and Hove clean air city. We welcome that the draft AQA plan and the Local Transport Plan (LTP5) are being developed in tandem. There are several key dependencies, not least the viability and success of the AQA plan depends on the LTP5 being able to deliver commuters real alternatives to car use.

 

We welcome that any move to extend the Ultra-Low Emission Zone requirements to vehicles beyond buses will be accompanied by a future consultation. In advance of that consultation there are several considerations[12]

·           Making public transport safe and reliable for shift workers and night workers (American Express operates 24 hours a day)

·           Recognition that car use for shift and night workers is often the only safe and practical option.

·           Accessibility issues, particularly for disabled colleagues, where public transport options may be impractical

·           Flexibility to carers with individual needs.

·           Park-and-ride needs to accompany any extension to the ULEZ as a viable alternative for people who need to commute into the centre of the city.

·           Provision of infrastructure to support/incentivise the uptake of low or no emission vehicles, especially for charging / re-fuelling.

 

Lewes District and Eastbourne councils:

I would briefly like to state the following in support of the BHCC Draft AQAP:

·         The document is clear and concise and conveys information for the lay reader, BHCC residents and those most at risk from air pollution.

·         Welcomes Priority 5: partnership working.

·         Welcomes Priority 4: reducing emissions from new development as this is also a priority for LDC

·         The document puts into context carbon management versus air quality management and highlights key distinctions between the two, especially that CO2 is not considered an air pollutant.

·         BHCC’s stringent NO2 and PM targets, closer to WHO guidelines than UK standards and objectives, if approved by Defra will provide a high level of strategic support for neighbouring LAs such as LDC to implement the same or similar within their own AQAPs.

·         The action plan table moves away from the obvious oft-stated transport related measures and draws on fresh and challenging ideas such as a feasibility study for a city-wide smoke control area and improving emissions standards for Non Road Mobile Machinery on construction sites.


Q         What is your postcode?

Map

Description automatically generated

 


Gender

No.

%

City [13]%

Female

108

45.4

50.2

Male

125

52.5

49.8

Non-binary

4

1.7

-

Other

1

0.4

-

Total

238

100

100

 

Age

No.

%

City %

17-24

2

0.8

17.2

25-34

19

7.2

15.0

35-44

49

18.5

16.4

45-54

61

23.0

16.0

55-64

80

30.2

13.1

65-74

42

15.8

9.3

75+

12

4.5

6.4

Total

265

100

100

 

 

Ethnicity

No.

%

City %

Arab

Arab

0

0

0.8

Asian/ Asian British

Bangladeshi

1

0.4

0.5

Chinese

0

0

1.1

Indian

0

0

1.1

Pakistani

0

0

0.2

Any other Asian background

4

1.7

1.2

Black/ Black British

African

0

0

1.1

Caribbean

0

0

0.3

Any other black background

1

0.4

0.2

Mixed

Asian and white

4

1.7

1.2

Black African and white

0

0

0.7

Black Caribbean and white

0

0

0.8

Any other mixed background

2

1.3

1.0

White/ White British

English / Welsh / Scottish / Northern Irish

187

78.2

80.5

Irish

12

5.0

1.4

Gypsy or Irish Traveller

0

0

0.1

Any other white background

25

10.5

7.1

Other

Any other ethnic group

2

0.8

0.8

Total

 

239

100

100

 

 

 

Disability

No.

%

City %

Yes, a little

40

16.2

7.5

Yes, a lot

18

7.3

8.8

No

189

76.5

83.7

Total

247

100

100

 

Disability

No.

Physical impairment

35

Sensory impairment

7

Learning disability/ difficulty

7

Long standing illness

22

Mental health condition

14

Developmental condition

5

Autistic spectrum

0

Other

23

 



[1] Respondents could own more than one vehicle

[2] Very important or important

[3] Strongly or somewhat support

[4] Excludes ‘don’t know’

[5] % will not total 100 as respondents could choose more than one vehicle type

[6] Older than 15 years

[7] Older than 5 years

[8] Excludes ‘not sure’

[9] Excludes ‘not sure’

[10] Excludes ‘not applicable’

[11] C 3,000 employees in Brighton and Hove

[12] Summarised below

[13] ONS Census 2011, Brighton & Hove