Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to reduce air pollution in (a) Liverpool and (b) Merseyside since 2010.

The Government is committed to improving air quality in the UK. Between 2010 and 2014, emissions of nitrogen oxides fell by 17 per cent.

To make further progress, the Government published the national air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide in December last year. The plan clearly set out how we will improve the UK’s air quality through a new programme of Clean Air Zones, alongside national action and continued investment in clean technologies such as electric and ultra-low emission vehicles. This included a plan for the achievement of EU air quality limit value for nitrogen dioxide in the North West and Merseyside.

Alongside national action, local authorities have a crucial role to play in improving air quality in their areas. They are required to review and assess air quality in their areas and to designate Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) and put in place Air Quality Action Plans (AQAPs) to address air pollution issues where national air quality objectives are not being met.

Nitrogen dioxide pollution from road transport is the predominant source of air pollution in Liverpool and the Merseyside area.

Since 2008, Liverpool City Council has declared the whole city and its boundaries as an AQMA, while both Sefton and St Helens Councils have designated five and four AQMAs respectively. No AQMAs have been designated by Knowsley and Wirral Councils. All three Merseyside local authorities with designated AQMAs have AQAPs in place to improve air quality in their areas. Most of the measures set out in the AQAPs are aimed at promoting sustainable transport initiatives.

Since 2010 a total of £265,526 in air quality grant funding has been awarded to Liverpool City Council, Sefton Council and St Helens Council in support of various projects aimed at improving air pollution monitoring and promoting greener transport in the region.