Clean Air
DIRECTION
ENVIRONMENT ACT 1995
ENVIRONMENT ACT 1995 (COVENTRY CITY COUNCIL) AIR QUALITY DIRECTION 2021
The Secretary of State, in exercise of the power conferred by section 85(5) of the Environment Act 1995(a), gives the following direction.
In accordance with section 85(6) a copy of this direction will be published in the London Gazette.
The Secretary of State makes this direction having determined that it is necessary in order to meet obligations placed upon the UK under the EU Ambient Air Quality Directive( b).
Citation, commencement and application
1.—(1) This direction may be cited as the Environment Act 1995 (Coventry City Council) Air Quality Direction 2021 and comes into force on the day after it is made.
(2) This direction applies to Coventry City Council.
Interpretation
2. In this direction—
“AQP” means the UK plan for tackling roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations 2017, drawn up by the Secretary of State in accordance with regulation 26(1) of the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010(c );
“the authority” means Coventry City Council;
“local plan for NO2 compliance” means the detailed scheme which the authority identified as part of the AQP to deliver compliance with the legal limit value for nitrogen dioxide in the shortest possible time that was approved by the Secretary of State on 19 May 2021 and is summarised in Schedule 1.
Revocation of previous direction
3. The Environment Act 1995 (Coventry City Council) Air Quality Direction 2020 is hereby revoked.
Duty to implement the local plan for NO2 compliance
4.—(1) The authority must take steps to implement the local plan for NO2 compliance for the area for which it is responsible.
(2) The authority must ensure that the local plan for NO2 compliance is implemented so that—
(a) compliance with the legal limit value for nitrogen dioxide is achieved in the shortest possible time, and by 2021 at the latest;
(b) exposure to levels above the legal limit for nitrogen dioxide are reduced as quickly as possible.
Variation, revocation or suspension
5. The authority must not vary, revoke or suspend its implementation of the local plan for NO2 compliance pursuant to Article 4, without the prior written consent of the Secretary of State.
Guidance
6. The authority, in taking steps under this direction, must have regard to relevant guidance issued by the Secretary of State.
Rebecca Pow MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment, Department for the Environment Food & Rural Affairs
19 May 2021
(a) 1995 c25.
(b) 2008/50/EC OJ No. L 152, 11.06.08, p.1.
(c) S.I. 2010/1001. A copy of the plan is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/air-quality-plan-for-nitrogen-dioxide-no2-in-uk-2017.
SCHEDULE 1
Article 4
Summary of local plan for NO2 compliance measures
| Measures | description Deadlines |
| Package of non-charging measures, including: | To be implemented as soon as possible and at least in time to bring forward compliance to 2021 |
| - Capacity improvements on the B4106 through Spon End; | |
| - Capacity improvements at Junction 7 on the Ring Road (A4053/B4106); | |
| - Opening of Upper Hill Street onto the A4053 Ring Road giving left in/left out access to the Ring Road via the anti-clockwise on-slip road at Junction 8; | |
| - Closure of Barras Lane between the A4114 Holyhead Road and Coundon Road/Upper Hill Street; | |
| - Peak time traffic restrictions and additional interpeak time traffic restrictions on the eastern section of A4114 Holyhead Road on the approach to Junction 8; | |
| -Engagement initiative (travel planning) with schools, businesses and communities along the Holyhead Road corridor to encourage mode shift; | |
| Construction of a segregated cycle route linking Coundon with the city centre along Coundon Road/Upper Hill Street; | |
| -A bus gate on B4113 Foleshill Road south of the A444; | |
| -Signal optimisation of Foleshill Road junction with the ring road (prioritising traffic flow on ring road); |
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the direction)
This direction directs Coventry City Council, and for the purposes of this direction is referred to as “the authority”, to implement its local plan for NO2 compliance in connection with duties in respect of air quality under Part 4 of the Environment Act 1995 and as part of the UK plan for tackling roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations 2017. Coventry City Council’s final local plan for NO2 compliance was approved by the Secretary of State on 19 May 2021, and it must now be implemented to ensure compliance with the legal limit value for nitrogen dioxide is achieved in the authority’s areas in the shortest possible time. Under section 85(7) of the Environment Act it is the duty of a local authority to comply with a direction given to it. A copy of this direction is available for inspection at Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF.