Has implementation of local air quality management reduced local nitrogen dioxide concentrations in the UK?

Abstract

In February 2014 the European Commission launched legal proceedings against the UK for its failure to cut excessive levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The failure of national action to achieve the necessary reduction in NO2 places an increasing onus on local authorities in the UK to assist the government with the achievement of the EU limit values. This research sets out to evaluate the effectiveness of Local Air Quality Management, as evidenced over the last 14 years, as a means to improve local air quality focusing on annual mean NO2. Previous research has presented the methodology for the sample selection for this study; this paper describes the methodology relating to the resulting six local authority case studies, but presents the results of the trends in NO2 concentrations in the Bristol AQMA as an example, before drawing conclusions and making recommendations for improvements to UK air quality management.