Spelthorne Borough Council

Providing Quality Services to the People of
Ashford, Laleham, Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell & Sunbury

Air quality - latest news

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2011 Progress Report available - January 2012 London LEZ: tighter standards from January 2012 Fireworks and Air Quality - November 2011 Heathrow Operational Trial - November 2011 2010 Monitoring Results - October 2011 Icelandic Volcano Ash grounds planes at Heathrow - April 2010 New Air Quality web pages launched - August 2008 London low emission zone - August 2008
NEW 2011 Progress Report now available The 2011 Progress Report (Pdf, 3.7Mb) on air quality within the Borough is now available. The report looks at new and changed sources of air pollution to identify those that may cause levels of pollution to exceed government standards. Results from monitoring within the Borough are presented for 2010 as well.Residents may prefer to read a short summary of the 2010 (Pdf 1,060 kb) air pollution levels that is also available.
London Low Emission Zone - tighter standards from January 2012 The London Low Emission Zone (LEZ) applies to diesel lorries, buses, coaches, motor caravans, motorised horseboxes, large vans, minibuses and other specialist vehicles. Cars and motorcycles are not affected. If your vehicle does not meet certain emissions standards you’ll need to pay a daily charge to drive within the LEZ. From 3 January 2012 the standards are changing and more vehicles will be affected.The European Union sets limits, known as Euro Standards, on the amount of pollution emitted by a vehicle’s exhaust. Your vehicle will need to meet the Euro 4 standard for particulate matter from 3 January 2012. You can use the age and weight of your vehicle as indicators. Transport for London (Tfl) have prepared a leaflet explaining the changes or you can visit their website at www.tfl.gov.uk/lezlondon or call 0845 607 0009.Remember, the LEZ is not the same as the central London Congestion Charging Zone. The LEZ operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year and covers most of Greater London. The M25 motorway is not included in the LEZ.
Impact of Fireworks Night on Air Quality Smoke from fireworks and bonfires can cause Guy Fawkes to be the most polluted night of the year. This year the 5th November was a Saturday, so many organised displays took part on that night, with the potential to concentrate the effects on air quality. King’s College London Environmental Research Group (who operate and management air quality monitoring stations across London and the South East on behalf of some Councils) have done a review of air quality on the evening of 5th November 2011. This year damp and breezy weather in southern England meant smoke was rapidly dispersed and air pollution remained ‘low’. The notable exception to this was in Lewes, East Sussex on the south coast were air pollution in the town centre reached ‘moderate’. Their website (www.londonair.org.uk) has more information about the health effects of fireworks, including a video.
Heathrow Operational Trial On 1st November 2011, a three month trial started at Heathrow of new procedures for using the runways and the airspace around the airport in a more efficient and flexible way. This trial will not mean an increase in the number of flights operating in to or out of Heathrow. The procedures being used during the trial are not the same as ‘Mixed Mode'. Mixed Mode involves the planned use of both runways for simultaneous take offs and arrivals and would increase the number of flights into and out of the airport. The trial will involve using one runway for both arrivals and departures, but the other runway will be only for arrivals or departures. It will only happen when certain triggers are met with aircraft delay, strong winds or following airport disruption (such as snow).Possible impacts and benefits to local communities include:
  • Loss of respite periods - the number of flights out of the usual runway alternation pattern will increase.
  • The use of dual departures could mean the number of late-running flights after 10.30pm will reduce.
  • The trial will be used during both easterly and westerly operations.There will be occasions therefore when the northern runway is used for departures in an easterly direction. At present, this does not occur.
  • Aircraft emissions may reduce since aircraft if aircraft spend less time in holding stacks.
Heathrow has a dedicated team that will answer your specific queries regarding aircraft noise – please contact 0800 344844 or email noise_complaints@baa.com . More information on the details of the trial, including a video, and questions and answers is available (external website).
2010 Monitoring Results now available Air quality monitoring data for 2010 is now available for all monitoring locations. Read a summary of the 2010 results (Pdf, 1,060 kb).Results available include a one year diffusion tube study in the Heathrow area and Benzene monitoring close to the Heathrow Black Oils fuel terminal at Bedfont Lane, Stanwell on top of the results for the Council’s own diffusion tube network, the Highways Agency diffusion tube survey, and three continuous monitoring stations at Oaks Road, Stanwell; Sunbury Cross; and M25 J13.
Icelandic Volcano Ash grounds planes at Heathrow We have been asked whether we will be doing extra monitoring during this period to assess the effect of the airport on local air quality.Find out more on air quality monitoring during this period, the contribution of airport emissions to local air quality concentrations and for health advice in connection with the ash in our Special Briefing Note (Word doc, 29kb).
Sucess for Spelthorne's air quality website Following the revamp of our air quality web pages in Summer 2008, we have been placed 15th in a survey of over 450 councils (across England, Wales and Scotland). We are the highest placed council in Surrey.The survey was undertaken by an air quality magazine, Air Quality Bulletin. The survey scored websites on the quality of information and presentation together with how easy it is to find the air quality pages from the Council’s home page. Spelthorne scored 4 out of 5 for both quality and findability.The survey drew particular attention to our air quality front page for clear symbols and focusing in on the key issues for residents and consultants. The reviewers also liked the latest news section to keep residents up to date with air quality news in the Borough. We already have some more ideas about how to continue improving our website for both residents and professionals.The survey also scored the Heathrow Airwatch website (external website) well for presentation, content, helpfulness and links to other sources of information. This follows a relaunch of the site in spring 2008. Airwatch was ranked 18th out of 64 non-council air quality websites reviewed. It provides information on air quality across Heathrow and surrounding areas, cutting across four separate Council areas. The site has been funded by a joint working partnership between us and the London Boroughs of Hillingdon and Hounslow, and Slough Borough Council, BAA Heathrow and British Airways.Read the full magazine article about the survey
London low emission zone The low emission zone (LEZ) was introduced in a bid to improve London's air quality. It covers all of the London boroughs and applies 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.The full London LEZ will be introduced in a phased approach from 4 February 2008 through to January 2012. Different vehicles will be affected over time and increasingly tougher emissions standards will apply. Although Spelthorne itself is not affected, neighbouring areas will be, including Heathrow, Feltham, and Bedfont.
What vehicles are affected?The LEZ does not apply to cars.It covers diesel-engine heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), buses and coaches, larger vans and minibuses, motor caravans, ambulances and hearses over a specific weight limit.Currently HGVs, buses and coaches are affected. Large vans and minibuses will be included from 2010.How will it affect me?To drive one of the affected vehicles in London you must register and meet the emissions standards. You will need to pay the daily charge (external website) if you drive within the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in a vehicle that does not meet the LEZ emission standards (external website) and is not exempt from the scheme or entitled to a 100 per cent discount (external website). You can check you vehicle's compliance and what options are available to you (external website) on the Transport for London website.The LEZ is clearly identifiable by:
  • Signs at the boundary informing drivers they are entering the zone
  • Signs on roads outside the zone giving advance warning to drivers that they are approaching the LEZ
  • Signs approximately every 5km within the zone to let drivers know they are within the LEZ
For further informationSee the Transport for London website (external website) or call 0845 607 0009.
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