Cabinet to discuss air quality management proposals

The Cabinet of Bridgend County Borough Council will meet on Tuesday 15 September to consider mitigation measures for dealing with air quality concerns in Park Street, Bridgend.

In January 2019, the local authority officially implemented the county’s first Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) Order in Park Street after tests showed nitrogen dioxide levels were above national air quality objectives.

Now, following a number of public engagement sessions and the work of a steering group, three mitigation measures are being proposed to help tackle the air quality, which has been put down to inconsistent traffic flows on the road and vehicles queuing.

The preferred options, which seek to manage and improve traffic flows through the Park Street AQMA, will suggest:

• Stopping access onto St. Leonard’s Road.
• Introducing a four-phase junction at the Heol-y-Nant turning (three traffic, one pedestrian).
• Improving the road junction between Park Street, Angel Street and Tondu Road.

Before any mitigation measures are introduced, the report recommends undertaking transport and air quality modelling to illustrate potential benefits across all three options. It is hoped that this could take place in October 2020.                                                                           

As part of its ongoing air quality monitoring activities, the council is planning to install an automated air quality monitoring system in the grounds of the Quakers Meeting House in Park Street. This will provide real-time data that can be used to inform traffic control measures for specific periods, and which will be available to the public online.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Welsh Government granted a six-month extension to the draft action plan, with the deadline for submission moved to the end of the year.

Once the draft action plan has been approved, public consultation will be organised.

Cabinet will meet to discuss the report on Tuesday 15 September.