Issue - decisions
Witney & Chipping Norton Air Quality Action Plan
16/09/2024 - Witney & Chipping Norton Air Quality Action Plan
Councillor Lidia Arciszewska, Executive Member for Environment, introduced the report, which sought to approve the Witney and Chipping Norton Air Quality Action Plan, prior to being published on West Oxfordshire District Council's website. The Executive Member paid tribute to the work of the Council’s Senior Environmental Officer, Susan McPherson, for their work in bringing the Air Quality Action Plan forward for adoption.
In debate, the Executive highlighted that the plans showed significant improvement to current air quality levels in Witney and Chipping Norton, against levels detailed in the report from 2008, which had been accelerated by the increasing number of electric vehicles and reductions in speed limits across the county, in conjunction with Oxfordshire County Council. It was also noted that the Covid-19 pandemic period had also played a significant factor in the improvement to air quality, as a result of less movement and traffic flow during the Covid lockdown periods in the 2-year pandemic.
The Executive also described plans to help the local air quality improve further by adopting a HGV Routing Policy, where Heavy Goods Vehicles would be re-routed around towns such as Chipping Norton, and neighbouring similar towns in the Cotswolds like Moreton-in-Marsh and Stow-on-the-Wold.
Councillor Lidia Arciszewska proposed that the Executive agree the recommendation as listed on the original report. This was seconded by Councillor Geoff Saul, was put to a vote, and was unanimously agreed by the Executive.
The Executive Resolved to:
1. Approve the Witney and Chipping Norton Air Quality Action Plan.