South Hams District Council is hoping to help the district breathe more easily by participating in a government funded vehicle emissions monitoring programme. The first one was on the 20th February at the Civic Square, Totnes. Three more days are planned in the summer elsewhere in the District.
The Council is responsible for assessing air quality throughout the South Hams and already operates a comprehensive network of monitoring equipment. Now in partnership with Torbay, Teignbridge, Plymouth and Mid Devon Councils, South Hams Environmental Health Officers will be using ultra sophisticated monitoring equipment to take emission readings from passing traffic throughout the day.
Designed to raise awareness of the benefits of good air quality, passing vehicles will be measured for their emissions of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons and the “smoke factor”, a measurement technique specifically developed for assessing particulate emissions from diesel vehicles.
The system also records the speed and acceleration of the vehicle for the purpose of the emissions monitoring. All of the information is then recorded with a photograph of the registration plate allowing the identification of high polluting vehicles.
Although there is no specific air quality problem in Totnes, officers are confident that the busy town will be a perfect opportunity to highlight the issue and offer the public helpful advice and guidance on a wide variety of the issues concerning air pollution.
In addition to the testing officers will also be able to offer advice to motorists on how they can ensure that their choice of transport is kept in the best possible health.
South Hams District Council has one Air Quality Management Area on the A38 near Dean Prior and is now assessing other areas in line with the government objectives.
The emissions testing will help further the good work already done on reducing air pollution. The five way partnership will be passing the information on to the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency so that owners of high polluting vehicles can be informed that a service should be scheduled as soon as possible so that their vehicle meets MOT standards.
Check back for updates on how the monitoring went, photographs of the day and where the next three days are planned.
Further Information
Air Quality in the South Hams leaflet
