HIGH levels of air pollution around the A325 in Bordon will be the focus of a district-wide air- quality assessment due to take place in April or May. At a meeting last week, East Hampshire District Council's (EHDC) cabinet agreed to invest £90,000 over the next four years to extend its work on air quality monitoring using equipment in the town. This follows a statutory air quality review carried out by council officers in 2006, showing particularly high levels of pollutants on the A325 Chalet Hill junction, as well as on the A3 near Bramshott Chase and Horndean. Tricia Hughes, EHDC's environmental services manager, said the findings had given her team "cause for concern", adding that the pollution levels were "for the most part, down to traffic rather than industrial activity". In accordance with national guidelines, specialist contractors have to be brought in to carry out a detailed assessment of the district, in particular these problem areas. Officers indicated that if pollution levels are found to be nearing national limits when consultants report back to council in August, then initiatives might be put in place encouraging commuters to be more eco friendly. A week ago, the district council's Liberal Democrat environment spokesman, Adam Carew, accused the Conservative-led cabinet of neglecting a legal duty to monitor air quality. The council has an air-quality monitoring station by the traffic lights at the top of Chalet Hill, a second in Petersfield, and further monitoring tubes in other locations around the district to measure how far pollution extends beyond the stations. EHDC's environmental protection team has carried out real-time monitoring of nitrogen dioxide and PM10 (pollutants released by burning fuel) at the station in Bordon since March 2005, to help it meet requirements under the Environment Act 1995. The smaller station in Petersfield and the tubes only measure nitrogen dioxide. Equipment was installed alongside the A325 after the council's annual Air Quality Progress Report in 2004 showed that the area around the Chalet Hill junction was expected to exceed maximum targets for nitrogen dioxide in 2005. Traffic congestion is the main cause of air pollution and figures from 2006 indicate that in areas of high traffic congestion, such as the A325 and A3 stretches near Bramshott Chase and Horndean, air pollution is approaching that of more urban areas. Real-time updates can be viewed by clicking on the air-quality-monitoring link at http://www.easthants.gov.uk/airquality">www.easthants.gov.uk/airquality. Figures for the A325 Chalet Hill junction for Monday seemed to show air pollution levels increasing during peak commuting hours. There was a sharp increase in nitrogen dioxide and PM10 between 5am and 8am, a steady drop between 8am and 4pm (with a small jump around lunchtime) and a steady rise again until 9pm. Council officers have explained to councillors that, if this situation remains unchecked, the government's statutory air quality limits could eventually be breached. The £90,000 will allow EHDC to carry out essential maintenance works to the sensitive monitoring equipment and to pay consultants to carry out an assessment.
