Home | Living | Environment, waste and public protection | Environment | Air quality in Portsmouth

Air quality in Portsmouth

We are responsible for assessing the quality of the air in Portsmouth for eight different pollutants. There are currently 5 air quality monitoring stations in the city as well as numerous nitrogen dioxide diffusion tubes which measure the air quality across the city.

Cars and heavy diesel vehicles are affecting air quality, causing the pollution in Portsmouth to be above government levels for nitrogen dioxide.

In order to improve air quality, Portsmouth needs to make the most of cycling and public transport. Reducing car traffic into the city centre and other congested areas will lower emissions of harmful pollutants and allow delivery vehicles and buses to access their destinations quickly and efficiently. By not taking your car when you travel you will be exposed to less harmful pollution and you will be helping to improve the air for others.

We are working to provide some options as to how the city will aim to reduce air pollution levels in the city to within the government objectives by 2010.

Because the problems of air quality are related to traffic we are considering ways to control traffic in the city as well as encouraging the use of public transport and cleaner newer vehicle technologies.

PORTAIR

You can find out more information about air quality below and also on PORTAIR, our dedicated website, by using the external link to the right. PORTAIR also features live updates on the current quality of the air in Portsmouth across various locations.