Sussex village to undergo air quality review

Authorities in west Sussex are to initiate an action plan to tackle the poor air quality affecting a village in the area.

Horsham District Council will be working with West Sussex County Council to develop a strategy following the declaration of an Air Quality Management Area in the village of Storrington, reports BBC News.

The plan is being launched in response to concerns over the high air pollution levels observed in the settlement, with nitrogen dioxide levels found to exceed national air quality guidelines in many areas.

This was said to be due to the heavy concentration of vehicles operating in the village, as well as the stop-start nature of driving when the roads are busy.

As such, the action plan is to be established within 12 to 18 months in order to protect the physical health of residents in the long term.

This comes in the week that the Forum for the Future Sustainable Cities Index for 2010 was published, revealing that air quality is gradually improving in the majority of large UK cities.

Posted by Claire Manning