Air Pollution Consultation

Lesley Griffiths, Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs has today announced the launch of a 12-week public consultation on how Wales can improve in the management of air and noise pollution.
The consultation comes as welcome news. I have raised the serious issue twice in the Senedd Chamber. In May I highlighted the huge amounts of pollution caused by the standing traffic at the Brynglas tunnels, whilst in June I voiced my concerns to the dramatic increase in heavy goods vehicles in Caerleon and Marshfield.

This can only be seen as a positive development. Air pollution is a public health issue and it’s something we must tackle. In May the World Health Organisation data showed several areas of the country have worrying levels of pollution. This consultation is a step in the right direction and will hopefully allow us to drive through the changes that are needed in order to improve people’s health. I would encourage as many people as possible to take part.

The consultation will focus primarily on refreshing the local air quality management regime to ensure that effective action can be taken.

The proposals in the consultation stress the importance of policy integration and the immediate and long-term health benefits to be gained. The consultation closes on the 6th of December 2016 and you can access it at https://consultations.gov.wales/consultations/air-quality-and-noise-management-wales