AIR quality in a market town has improved for a tenth successive year meaning monitoring may no longer be required.
Bridge Street in Usk was designated an Air Quality Management Area as nitrogen dioxide, produced as a result of cars burning fossil fuels, was exceeding 40 micrograms per cubic metre annually.
The air quality is monitored by Monmouthshire County Council’s environmental health department which said 2024 was the tenth successive year that the nitrogen dioxide levels were below the annual objective level of 40 and the seventh below the level of 36.
A report for the council’s performance and overview scrutiny committee stated: “This is the level Welsh Government advise an AQMA should be revoked if below it for 5 years.”
The council has said it has made allowance for lower traffic levels during the two years of the covid pandemic and its aim for 2025/26 will be to revoke the Usk Air Quality Management Area.
