Government gives a £2 million boost to tackling air pollution
Defra have awarded £2 million worth of air quality grants to 36 local authorities across England. The grants, which have been awarded to those…
Defra have awarded £2 million worth of air quality grants to 36 local authorities across England. The grants, which have been awarded to those authorities who have demonstrated innovative plans to tackle air pollution in our towns and cities, will fund 42 projects all over the country.
In particular, funding has been provided to support the investigation of Low Emission Zones, and to help create guidance and tools for local authorities who want to decrease emissions. Money has also been given to authorities who want to develop the way they communicate air quality messages to their local communities.
Environment Minister Lord de Mauley said:
“Air quality has improved significantly in recent years; however, we need to keep striving to improve the air we breathe. This £2 million air quality grant will help local communities take matters into their own hands. Without this money, many innovative projects would never see the light of day.
“In previous years, similar grants have been used very creatively to address air pollution. This is exactly the type of action that should be encouraged and I’m looking forward to reviewing the success of the projects this time next year.”
An emphasis was placed on projects that could secure additional funding from other sources, so as to strengthen the project outcomes and ensure cost-effectiveness.
The authorities who receive funding will need to provide Defra with a progress report by Autumn 2013, so that the success of each project can be monitored and to show how the money is being spent.
The air quality grant programme is now in its fifteenth year and so far over £50 million in grants has been given to support local air quality actions across England.
**Notes **
This grant scheme operates under Section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003.
The criteria for the grant period 2012/13 was similar to last year’s in that it focused in the main on supporting projects which tackle nitrogen dioxide emissions.
Below is a full list of the grants that have been issued in the first round.
Projects to be funded under the second-round funding stage are not included in this list, as their projects are still to be assessed, but will be reported on shortly.
Lead Authority
Project description
Grant Award
Birmingham - joint bid (W Midland)
Continuation of Low Emission Strategies and Low Emission Zones feasibility work in West Midlands
£150,000
Bradford MDC 2 (joint bid)
West Yorkshire LES/LEZ bid
£150,000
Cambridge City council
Fleet and Emissions characterisation for City Council.
£60,000
Corporation of London -1
Proposed CityAir App and taxi emissions reduction scheme
£58,000
Exeter City Council
Low Emission Zone/Low Emission Strategy feasibility study
£60,000
Herefordshire District Council
Modal Shift Park and cycle
£59,930
LB Borough Islington
Air Quality Campaign Days
£60,000
LB Camden
City Air: Rollout of CityAir communication tools to support business engagement on air quality
£20,000
LB Camden (joint bid)
Cleaner Air 4 Schools: Rollout of Cleaner Air 4 Schools tools to support engagement with schools on air quality
£60,000
LB Croydon
Cleaner Air 4 Schools
£21,429
LB Ealing
Scenario Development for NO2 emissions reductions
£49,000
LB Hackney
Zero Emissions Network
£60,000
LB Haringey
Cleaner Air 4 Schools
£21,429
LB Hillingdon joint bid
Emissions modelling desk tool
£30,000
LB Islington
CityAir Rollout
£20,000
LB Southwark
Cleaner Air 4 Schools
£21,429
LB Sutton
Cleaner Air 4 Schools
£21,429
LB Tower Hamlet
Cleaner Air 4 Schools
£21,429
LB Wandsworth
CityAir Rollout
£20,000
LB Wandsworth
Emissions reduction analysis
£8,621
LB Westminster
Cleaner Air 4 Schools
£21,429
LB Westminster joint bid
CityAir Rollout
£20,000
Leicester City Council
Continuation of LEZ feasibility to Business case stage
£60,000
Lewes Council
Modal shift through cycling and LEZ parking
£46,000
Mid Devon DC - joint bid
Low Emission Strategies Partnership bid
£150,000
Newcastle City Council
Travel reduction and awareness raising campaign
£60,000
Northampton Borough Council
Support for LEZ feasibility study
£65,000
Portsmouth City Council
Investigation of traffic management strategies
£60,000
RB of Kensington & Chelsea
CityAir Rollout
£20,000
Sefton MBC
Ecostars fleet recognition Scheme
£30,000
South Gloucestershire Council
Traffic Management
£17,000
St Albans DC
Freight Management Plan for St Albans
£25,800
St Albans DC
Traffic emissions modelling
£50,500
Swale Council
Freight Management Plan
£17,000
Teignbridge Council
Investigation of bus emissions strategy and Freight transfer Depot
£27,950
Warrington Council
Ecostars
£30,000
Waverley Council - 2
LES Feasibility Study
£60,000
York City Council - 1
Implementation of LES measures
£94,490
York City Council - 2
Traffic simulation and modal shift
£54,490