TOWN chiefs are demanding urgent action to improve air quality on one of Middlewich’s busiest roads.

A stretch of Chester Road was declared an air quality management area (AQMA) by Cheshire East Council in October 2017.

But according to CEC figures, levels of harmful nitrogen oxide at the area increased by last October in the first year of the AQMA.

Cllr Jonathan Parry, Labour, warned Monday’s Middlewich Town Council meeting that air quality in town will not be helped by the Ansa site in Cledford Lane, new housing developments and drivers who avoid the M6.

He said: “It is all well and good naming places AQMAs but what does that mean? To me it has meant absolutely nothing, because what has changed in Middlewich?

Northwich Guardian:

“Alright, the bypass will make a difference, but we are still a number of years away from that yet and it is not going to make any short-term impact.

“In the meantime, dangerous air quality levels are causing problems for all our residents with their quality of life, because it is a health hazard and something needs to be done about it.”

Work on the Middlewich eastern bypass is currently expected to begin in 2021 and last for 30 months.

Town councillors also raised concerns about the number of lorries travelling along the town’s roads, with vibrations disturbing residents.

They agreed that CEC should come up with both a short-term plan and a long-term plan to outline how it will improve air quality in Chester Road.

CEC says it has submitted an action plan to the Government on improving air quality at all its AQMAs, including Chester Road.

Cllr Mick Warren, CEC cabinet member for communities, said: “On the whole, the air quality across the majority of the borough is good. However there are a number of small areas where, due to traffic, there are concerns about nitrogen dioxide concentrations.

Northwich Guardian:

“The development of an air quality action plan is a statutory requirement once an AQMA has been declared.

“The action plan must detail the measures which the council proposes to take to improve air quality in all of the AQMAs.

“The latest action plan has been submitted to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for approval. The action plan includes feedback from a number of consultation events, including an event which focussed on Middlewich and Sandbach.”

Cllr Warren added that CEC will work with town and parish councils on improving air quality, and that the action plans will help shape the council’s transport policies.

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CEC recognised the climate emergency in May and committed to making the authority carbon neutral by 2025.

Cllr Sam Corcoran, CEC’s leader, added: “We don’t have to wait before taking action – we need to use our cars less, we need to walk and cycle more. This will improve our health, it will improve air quality and it will help the planet.”