Hammersmith and Fulham Air Quality Commission starts work

Resident-led commission will carry out research to feed into a review of the council’s air quality action plan this year

Hammersmith and Fulham’s resident-led Air Quality Commission is carrying out research to feed into a review of the council’s plans to improve air quality.

the council’s Air Quality Management Area includes Hammersmith Bridge in West London

First set up last summer comprising of seven residents, the Air Quality Commission is gathering evidence in order to make recommendations for the borough’s Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP), which is due for review this later this year (see airqualitynews.com story).

The Commission’s research will be aided by experts as well as the general public, the council said, with residents’ views being sought on air quality and behaviours to feed into the Commission’s report.

According to a study conducted by Kings College London, poor air quality contributes to the deaths of more than 200 people in Hammersmith and Fulham each year, and air quality monitoring in the borough has found breaches of legal limits for nitrogen dioxide.

Monitoring

During 2014, the UK annual mean objective for NO2 was exceeded “at the majority of the 16 monitoring locations in the borough”, according to a May 2015 council report, which adds that “the situation remains a concern”.

Map of Hammersmith and Fulham council’s AQMA (click to enlarge)

The report states: “The lack of progress in reducing NO2 levels are of particular concern, given the substantial reduction needed to meet the objective levels for NO2, in light of the recent ruling by the Supreme Court. The next stage in terms of air quality review and assessment work is to prepare and submit a progress report in April 2016.”

As a result, the council set up the Commission last year with Hammersmith resident Rosemary Pettit as chair. She has been “active in community work for many years” as member secretary of Brackenbury Residents’ Association and chair of the Hammersmith Society, the council said.

Rosemary Pettit commented: “Air pollution is a serious risk to people’s health. It is important to discover what this pollution is, where it is coming from and what we can do to tackle it.”

Other resident members of the Commission include: Andrew Pendleton, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth; University of Reading professor Derek Clements-Croome; NHS consultant and cancer specialist Dr Leonardo Monzon; senior TV news producer Kate Forbes; commercial IT firm director David Chamberlain, and; Natalie Lindsay, principle of Fulham music school Music’all.

Comments on the borough’s air quality can be left on the Hammersmith & Fulham council website or sent to the council byFebruary 2 2016.

Council leader Stephen Cowan said: “We are determined to cut air pollution in Hammersmith & Fulham. Rosemary has a track record of leading positive change for residents and I am delighted she has agreed to head up this review.”