The plan contains a range of measures we intend to take over the next five years including key priorities to create more active travel options for leisure and commuting, decarbonise the council’s vehicle fleet and increase electric vehicle charging facilities.

Our air quality monitoring network will also be reviewed to ensure it is monitoring all relevant areas, and air quality around schools will be investigated, with a focus on drop-off and pick-up times.

The plan also addresses actions to reduce air pollution in the the three Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) in North Lanarkshire at Chapelhall, Motherwell town centre and Whifflet, Shawhead and Kirkshaws in Coatbridge. AQMAs are established at locations where air quality does not meet the legal limits.

“Air quality affects everyone every day so it’s important that we monitor it and take action to reduce pollution across the area,” said Councillor Helen Loughran, Convener of the Environment and Climate Change Committee.

“Road traffic emissions are a significant source of air pollutants in North Lanarkshire, so much of our work focusses on reducing this by easing congestion at key locations, improving active travel infrastructure, encouraging the move to electric vehicles, and providing information to help with make public transport and walking/cycling/wheeling more accessible and attractive.

“We’re creating a network of active travel routes to allow more people to walk, wheel and cycle for work and leisure, and new road projects will help take traffic away from communities, such as the East Airdrie Link Road which will impact significantly on pollution at Chapelhall.”

Examples of projects that are making a positive impact on air quality are:

• The new transport hub at Muir Street in Motherwell will reduce traffic congestion in the town centre and make it easier for people to access public transport.
• A map and App - A Breath of Fresh Air in Lanarkshire – for Strathclyde Country Park promotes walking and cycling map.
• The council operates its first electric bin lorry and is moving more of its fleet vehicles to be electric.
• 122 public electric vehicle charging points have been installed across North Lanarkshire, and the council is actively working to increase this number.

A public consultation was carried out last year on the action plan, which has now been published on the council’s web site at www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/pests-and-pollution/pollution/air-quality/air-quality-management-areas