Councillor Debby Blakebrough of the Trellech United ward has spoken out about the continued high levels of nitrogen dioxide in both towns, after being contacted by concerned residents.
The objective level set by both the UK and EU is 40 microgram/ cubic metre (µg/m3) as an annual mean for nitrogen dioxide.
A location on Hardwick Hill reached 51µg/m3 in 2015, and 57.7µg/m3 in 2014. Monmouthshire County Council declared Hardwick Hill an Air Quality Management Area in 2006 due to high levels of pollutants then, and despite regularly monitoring levels and creating a 29-point action plan in 2011, the area is still of high concern.
The biggest cause of nitrogen dioxide emissions is traffic.
Councillor Blakebrough said: “Listening to Chepstow residents they are rightly worried about air pollution and the threat to their health.
“I was shocked to learn that the air quality in parts of Chepstow significantly exceeds safe levels. Areas are comparable to parts of London which has some of the worst air quality issues in Europe. Hardwick Hill records levels of 51 micrograms/ cubic metre.
“This is not a new issue but as many residents can tell you has been going on for years.”
Councillor Blakebrough continued: “The soon-to-be-published Welsh Government Air Quality Management Strategy for this road makes no mention of an A48 bypass. It seems that they don’t have the funds. Yet they are prepared to invest a staggering amount of money in building the new M4 relief road.
“Failure to invest in the A48 bypass could have the unintended consequences of shortening people’s lives and poses a serious health risk to our young people in Chepstow.”
Usk has been an AQMA since 2005 with regular tests confirming that pollutants along the road remain above the UK and EU recommended levels.
An action plan was produced for the town in 2009. Ideas on both action plans include encourage more walking, cycling and cycle routes, calls for bypasses, HGV restriction, charging and tolls, car club schemes and even encouraging people to work from home when possible.
A 2015 Updating and Screening Assessment for Monmouthshire County Council identified that 54 per cent of HGVs on the A48 in Chepstow are through trips and could be avoided. Around 100 more HGVs per day are travelling westbound than eastbound, which indicates that they are avoiding the Severn Bridge toll. Westbound is uphill through the AQMA.
The management of on-street parking was identified as an issue causing congestion Usk, with particular retail shops identified as causing issues with delivery vehicles.
Gwent Police has increased its intervention in Bridge Street to prevent on-street parking and reported that the situation has now greatly improved.
Nitrogen dioxide concentrations in Usk did decrease in 2014 compared to 2013. As a result,
Usk recorded its lowest level since recording began, at 40.9.µg/m3.
In 2014 two locations in Chepstow exceeded the objective level, one at at 57.7µg/m3, and one at 40µg/m3.
A Monmouthshire County Council spokesperson said: “We have set up a steering group that includes Monmouthshire County Council officers from areas such as highways, planning and transport, and external bodies like Welsh Government (as the A48 is a trunk road), SWTRA, Friends of the Earth, the town council, county councillors, and Transition Chepstow to try to implement these actions.
“Further details on this including links to the action plan, and the annual air quality in Monmouthshire reports are on our website www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/air-quality”
An up-to-date 2016 report will be available in May.
The Welsh Government maintains that is has no plans to consider a bypass for Chepstow, despite growing pressure from campaigners.
Concern over pollution in Chepstow and Usk comes as the Welsh Government announced on Monday (11th March) that £1.7m of funding for six Welsh transport schemes will be released ahead of schedule.
This includes the release of £90,000 for improvements to the A40/ A466 Wye Bridge Junction in Monmouth.
Campaigners are seeking a third lane to be built to alleviate traffic and pollution on this stretch of the duel carriageway on the edge of town.
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