The government has announced the latest round of funding to
help local authorities improve air quality across England.
Since it was established, the Air Quality
Grant scheme has awarded more than £61 million to
a variety of projects, benefitting schools, businesses and
residents, reducing the impact on people’s health and
creating cleaner and healthier environments.
Local authorities are encouraged to bid for a portion of at
least £2 million of central government support for a wide
range of projects to improve the air we breathe.
Applicants in previous years have been awarded funding to
install electric vehicle charging points, improve cycling
infrastructure and develop local online air quality
resources.
These projects have contributed to the significant
improvement in air quality in the UK in recent decades.
Between 2010 and 2017, we have achieved reductions in
primary emissions of harmful fine particulate matter
(PM2.5) and nitrogen oxides by 10% and 29% respectively,
and levels of nitrogen dioxide at the roadside are now at
their lowest levels since records began.
Environment Minister said:
We know the impact air pollution has on public health,
which is why we are continuing to provide funding to
local authorities to help them to take action to improve
air quality for the benefit of schools, businesses and
residents. This is part of the much wider strategy to
tackle air quality.
Local authorities are in the best position to address the
issues they face around their roads, and we are looking
forward to receiving ideas for innovative schemes to
reduce emissions and encourage cleaner, more active
transport.
Minister for the Future of Transport said:
We know we need to step up the pace and clean up our air
for everyone - from children on their way to school, to
commuters travelling to work, and communities around the
country.
This vital funding will help councils to take forward
exciting new technologies, improving air quality and
making our communities cleaner, more vibrant places to
live.
Applications for the grant for 2019-20 are open from 4
October to 7 November 2019.
The Air Quality Grant forms part of the wider UK Plan for
Tackling Roadside Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations, which
includes a £3.5 billion investment into air quality and
cleaner transport. The plan is supporting the uptake of low
emissions vehicles, getting more people to cycle and walk,
and encouraging cleaner public transport.
As a result of this plan, and alongside the Air Quality
Grant, the government is working with 61 local authorities
– and providing £495 million in funding – to reduce
nitrogen dioxide concentrations through local plans that
are effective, fair, good value, and will deliver required
improvements in the shortest time possible.
In addition to this plan, last year we also launched the
Clean Air Strategy, the most ambitious air quality strategy
in a generation which aims to halve the harm to human
health from air pollution by 2030, and has been praised by
the World Health Organisation as “an example for the rest
of the world to follow”.
