§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 18 May 1998,Official Report, column 222, if he will request the Highways Agency to produce forecasts of PM10 levels from all sources in the Egham area in (i) 2005 and (ii) 2010 assuming (a) the 10–12 lane widening scheme for the M25 is implemented and (b) the motorway is not widened. [44872]
§ Ms Glenda Jackson[holding answer 9 June 1998]As part of the roads review, the Highways Agency is assessing the contribution of schemes towards anticipated levels of PM10 in 2005, the relevant year for the achievement of the National Air Quality Strategy objective. Their assessment includes a consideration of PM10 emissions from other sources. The Highways Agency is not undertaking an assessment for 2010, since they expect the levels to be lower than in 2005.
38W
§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what evaluation he has made of the relative levels of air pollution in London in May 1997 and May 1998; and if he will make a statement. [45345]
§ Angela EagleA comparison of May 1997 ratified data with May 1998 provisional data shows that there are only three pollutants where the National Air Quality Standards were breached during these months. These were ozone, sulphur dioxide and PM10 particular matter.
May 1998 provisionally had more exceedences of the standards than May 1997. This is most likely to be due to the prevailing meteorological conditions in 1998 being different to those in 1997. The relatively high temperatures and light easterly or south-easterly winds, which occurred during May 1998, are generally associated with elevated levels of pollutants in the spring and summer months.
Exceedences of the National Air Quality Strategy standard for each pollutant in May occurred on the following number of days:
Pollutant 1997 Number of days 1998 Number of days Ozone 8 15 Sulphur dioxide 1 2 PM10 0 5 The 1998 figures may be adjusted before they become ratified during the quality control and quality assurance procedure.
The standards referred to here are:
Pollutant Ozone 50ppb as an 8-hour running mean Sulphur dioxide 100ppb as a 15-minute mean PM10 50[...]gm3 as a running 24 hour mean