Which areas of Ipswich have air pollution over legal limit?

Known as AQMA zones (Air Quality Management Areas), these sites have such poor quality that they fall short of government legislation put in place for health reasons.

The brown areas show the regions with illegal levels of air pollution (AQMAs) (Image: Ipswich Borough Council)

Where are these zones?

• An area encompassing the junction of Norwich Road, Chevalier Street and Valley Road in Ipswich.
• The junction with Peel Street, extending along Crown Street, St Margarets Street and St Helens Street to the junction with Palmerston Road, and from St Margarets Street extending up Woodbridge Road to just beyond the junction with Argyle Street.

Crown Street, Ipswich - which has been designated as part of an AQMA zone (Image: Charlotte Bond, Newsquest)

• An area encompassing the junction Grimwade Street with St Helens Street, the Starr Lane gyratory system including Fore Street, Salthouse Street, Key Street, College Street, Bridge Street, Foundation Street, Slade Street, Neptune square and Grimwade Street.
• An area incorporating the land in or around St. Matthews Street / Norwich Road between the Civic Drive roundabout and Bramford Road.

Norwich Road has also been identified as part of an AQMA zone (Image: Charlotte Bond, Newsquest)

What has been the local response?

According to a poll conducted by the Ipswich Star, the majority of those living in AQMA zones are unaware, while 63% said they believe tackling poor air quality should be a priority. 

The situation has prompted this newspaper to join Ipswich Town Football Club and environmental group Ipswich CAN (Clean Air Now) in launching the 'Town CAN campaign' - an initiative seeking to combat and raise awareness of air pollution across the area.

The Town CAN campaign has been launched by this newspaper in collaboration with the football club and Ipswich CAN (Image: Ipswich Town Football Club)

"Not only are there homes within these AQMA zones," said Tony Horner and Chris Armstrong of Ipswich CAN. 

"But there are also schools, nurseries, and a number of elderly people - who are more vulnerable to health issues caused by pollution - living there.

Chris Armstrong (left) and Tony Horner (right) of Ipswich CAN (Image: William Warnes)

"If I were living in one of these areas, I would ask the councils why I didn't know about them. I would then want to know what we can do as a community, and then what I can expect from the local authority to do something about it."

What health issues can this cause?

Poor air quality can lead to and exacerbate chronic conditions such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as lung cancer, leading to reduced life expectancy.

It is estimated that 38,000 residents are living within 500m of areas with air pollution levels above the national target, while government modelling shows around 65 people across the town die every year from illnesses related to poor air quality.

Cllr Paul West, cabinet member for Ipswich, operational highways and flooding at Suffolk County Council, has described it as "the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK."

Cllr Paul West of Suffolk County Council (Image: Newsquest)

"The health impacts of poor air quality aren't made up," added Mr Horner and Mr Armstrong. 

"This is coming from the NHS, the World Health Organisation, Public Health England and the government.

"It's very similar to smoking. When we were all made aware of the health impacts of smoking in public places, something was done about. 

"Nowadays, it's absurd to think about smoking in a restaurant.

"People need to know about the health impacts of poor air quality so that something can be done to tackle it."

What are local authorities doing/what must they do to reduce air pollution?

Following the announcement of an AQMA zone, local authorities must produce an action plan and are obligated to reduce air pollution to legal limits.

Ipswich Borough Council has produced a strategy, while Suffolk County says it plans to produce a new plan in the coming weeks.

Local authorities must produce an action plan to reduce air pollution in AQMA zones (Image: PA)

This follows a survey launched by the County Council in October which sought to measure current levels of understanding about air quality and work going on in the area to mitigate its impact.

It is believed the results of this poll will be used to inform future plans made by the local authority.

Are you living in an AQMA zone? We want to hear from you. Get in touch at william.warnes@newsquest.co.uk.