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9.
April
2019.
Public Drop in Sessions on the Clean Air Project

Cardiff Council will be holding four public drop in sessions on the Clean Air Project during April and May.

These public events will give residents and the public the opportunity to come and see a package of measures to improve air quality in Cardiff.

Public Health Wales have stated that poor air quality is possibly the second greatest health concern after smoking and is the most significant environmental harm to health.

The following events will take place at the following locations:

April 13th- 11am until 3pm: Angel Hotel (Prince of Wales Suite - Ground floor)

April 20th- 11am until 3pm: Central Library (level 3)

May 4th- 11am until 3pm: Angel Hotel (Rhymney Suite - Floor 1)

May 11th- 11am until 3pm: Central Library (level 3)

The project has been developed in response to a legal challenge made by Client Earth on the Welsh Government, which legally bound the Council to take action to reduce pollution levels to a legal limit by 2021. 

An independent survey commissioned by the Council to forecast future Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) pollution levels in the city has identified just one street where EU legal limits are likely to be breached in future years. The survey was carried out by industry leaders Ricardo and followed similar studies undertaken in several major British cities.

It showed that only Castle Street, which runs in front of the castle from Westgate Street to Duke Street, is likely to fail legal compliance beyond 2021 if nothing is done to reduce traffic emissions.

Cllr Caro Wild, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, said: "Although Castle Street has been identified as the only street which will be in breach of the required levels by 2021, we believe this is systematic of a far wider problem and the measures that have been proposed have been designed to tackle these issues.

"As of yesterday,an Ultra-Low Emission Charge has come into place in Central London to improve air quality in the Capital. This is a Charging Clean Air Zone, which is designed to penalise those driving the most polluting vehicles.

"This new measure in London follows years of investment in active travel and a state-of-the-art public transport system which has been greatly assisted through the income generated from the Congestion Charge which has been in place for the last 15 years.

"Guidance issued by Defra/ DfT Department for Transport clearly states that local authorities should only implement a charging CAZ if non charging alternatives have been found to be insufficient to bring about compliance with air quality limits in the shortest time possible."

"The proposed measures that are being put forwards show the Council's proposed investment in active travel in the city centre and the measures which are being proposed to significantly reduce emissions from both taxis and buses."

Currently the Council is undergoing a public consultation exercise on the Outline Business Case for the project and all of the information including the consultation questionnaire is available on the council's website -www.cardiff.gov.uk/cleanaircardiff.