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Pollution nearly twice legal limit in Twickenham Road

Get West London: http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/west-london-news/pollution-nearly-twice-legal-limit-10544910 Pollution nearly twice legal limit in Isleworth's Twickenham RoadProtesters say shocking levels of nitrogen dioxide along Twickenham Road back up their calls to overturn Church Street closure.  Protesters fighting a controversial road closure in Isleworth have unearthed alarming data about pollution which they say supports their case.Levels of harmful nitrogen dioxide (NO2), produced by vehicles, in Twickenham Road are nearly twice the legal limit, according to Hounslow Council's own figures.  Campaigners say closing nearby Church Street will add to congestion in Twickenham Road, which is home to West Middlesex Hospital and a number of schools, making the air there even filthier.A report published by Hounslow Council in October shows NO2 levels at Busch Corner, at the junction of Twickenham Road and London Road, were 74.9 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3) in 2014.Dr Nichola Keay, who unearthed the statistics, is among those opposed to the 18-month trial closure of Church Street, which is due to begin on Monday (December 7)."Given the council's own predictions that closing Church Street will increase delays in the area by 142%, it's inevitable pollution in Twickenham Road will become even worse," she said."I have asked the council's head of transport what the pollution threshold is at which Church Street would be re-opened but I have not received a reply."The council has said it took the decision to close Church Street following complaints from residents about drivers using the narrow residential road as a "rat run" .In a survey earlier this year about 60% of those responding supported the move, but critics say a wider area should have been consulted .Campaigners are planning to march along Twickenham Road next weekend in protest at the closure.On the same day, residents of Church Street are holding a Christmas party to celebrate their road being closed to through traffic.

Reg Ghosh ● 3535d2 Comments

I have now found the report from this year :http://www.hounslow.gov.uk/air_quality_hounslow2015_updating_report_oct2015.pdfand that mentions "Concentrations at diffusion tube monitoring sites appears to have increased at many sites in 2014, with seven sites recording >60 μg/m3." and the Gunnersbury North Circular Road monitor breached the hourly limit of 200ug/m3 on 36 occasions (EU Directive only permits a maximum of 18 breaches in a year).It also says that "The LB of Hounslow is in the process of amending its AQMA order to include the 1-hour objective for NO2, based on the recommendations made in the 2014 Progress Report (London Borough of Hounslow, 2014)."

Tim Henderson ● 3535d

The report from the previous yearhttp://www.hounslow.gov.uk/air_quality_progress_report_2014.pdfnoted that "Annual mean NO2 concentrations at site HS67 (Busch Corner) exceed the 60 μg/m3 threshold, which indicates potential for the 1-hour mean air quality objective to be exceeded." and noted the diffusion tube value was  64.7 ug/m3.According the recommendation was made for the Council to"Amend the AQMA order to cover the 1 hour objective;"Does anyone know if this was done ?

Tim Henderson ● 3535d