Following a public consultation Cornwall Council has taken the steps required to formally declare Truro as an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA).

Improving local air quality is a priority for Cornwall Council and regular monitoring is carried out across the county. Results of this monitoring have indicated that Truro suffers from excessive levels of traffic related nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

Truro becomes the sixth AQMA in Cornwall. The five others named across the county since 2005 are St Austell, Gunnislake, Tideford, Bodmin and Camborne-Pool-Redruth.

This designation highlights the council’s commitment to Truro as an area for improvement in air quality, and an action plan is now being prepared. The action plan is likely to be published in the next year and aims to introduce measures to help improve air quality. There will be a further consultation on the draft action plan when residents and businesses will again be invited to have their say.

Geoff Brown, portfolio holder for communities, said: “The declaration of this new Air Quality Management Area is an important positive step towards improving the quality of the air in Cornwall, and the well-being of our residents and visitors.”

Allan Hampshire, head of public protection and business support, added: “Air pollution is amongst the top ten causes of mortality in the UK, with nearly 30,000 people dying prematurely each year as a result of exposure to air pollution. While many people think Cornwall has clean unpolluted air the declaration of a sixth air quality management area in the county confirms that this is not necessarily the case, however the declaration is an important step towards improving air quality within Truro and with it the health of those living and working in the city.”

For more information on air quality in Truro, visit www.cornwall.gov.uk/airquality.