Thame’s air quality – a mixed picture

FOLLOWING a question about Air Quality in Thame at the annual Town Meeting recently, Cllr Nigel Champken Woods has reported that currently, at the three monitoring points in Thame, the levels of NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) are below the ‘optimum’ of 40 micrograms per cubic meter.

Since 2015, levels of CO2 at the three Thame monitoring stations. Ludlow Drive, Park Street and Aylesbury Road, had steadily increased (See LINK for example https://oxfordshire.air-quality.info/diffusion_tube/162). Figures for 2018 are not available on the Oxfordshire Air Quality website.

The lower current figures so far this year could be influenced by the colder temperatures and lack of sunshine lately. It is the annual average figure that will show whether levels of CO2 are continuing to rise or not.

No monitoring in the town centre

Cllr Champken Woods pointed out at the final meeting of the current Thame Town Council on Tuesday (16/04) that no monitoring takes place in Thame town centre or the Oxford Road end of the High Street .

Part of SODC’s Air Quality Action Plan (AQMA) states: “Although the monitoring data suggests a downward NO2 concentration trend, this is only the case of Wallingford and Henley. Some other areas like Watlington’s AQMA, Thame, Chinnor and areas near the M40 have suffered significant increases in NO2 levels, suggesting the potential need for new AQMAs in the district.

Measures to reduce NO2 emissions

The main air quality measures South Oxfordshire has said that it would like to have progressed during 2018 aiming to reduce NO2 emissions are:
• Further implementation of South Oxfordshire’s Low Emission Strategy
(LES)
• The installation of more electric vehicle (EV) charging points within some
of the council owned car parks
• Work towards some community engagement projects

‘May not gain political support’

But, the Plan then states: “The adoption of these measures, stated in the LES and described above, will progress and improve during 2018 and the next few years.

“However, the LES will face challenges since some of its measures are controversial and therefore may not gain political support.”

South Oxfordshire’s Air Quality Action Plan in full can be downloaded HERE https://oxfordshire.air-quality.info/local-air-quality-management/south-oxfordshire