Air quality

Local Air Quality Management

Recognising the importance of air quality, the Environmental Protection and Housing Team routinely assesses outdoor air quality in Rhondda Cynon Taf. Overtime, these assessments have targeted the most relevant air pollutants to the public: -

• Nitrogen Dioxide [NO₂] is a gas, usually undetectable to humans in the very low levels often experienced in our environment.  It is mostly associated with combustion, for instance industrial furnaces, domestic solid fuel or gas-fired heating and petrol and diesel powered road traffic.  Its levels can sometimes be higher in dense urban areas as well as locations near busy or very congested roads.

• Particulate Matter [PM] is a mixture of many different solid-like substances that can be suspended in the air we breathe.  Very small sized Particulate Matter, often labelled as PM₁₀ and PM_2.5, are invisible to humans but can be breathed in and even absorbed by our bodies.  Lots of different natural and human actions can cause Particulate Matter, including combustion, the wearing of road surfaces, agricultural activities, salting and the wind generally collecting and transporting Particulate Matter.

Due to the importance of certain air pollutants, Regulations have set Air Quality Objectives that the Council should be mindful of and where appropriate work towards achieving. As such the monitoring of air quality in Rhondda Cynon Taf has been undertaken since the 1990’s and each year the Council publishes a report on local air quality.  These reports provide information on the statutory process, up to date local monitoring data and the analysis of local air quality.  Most recently the Council has published the 2024 Progress Report. 

What Can You Do About Local Air Quality

There are many actions that can be taken to help improve local air quality.  Some of these actions may require the Council and its partners to implement change where other actions may be undertaken by schools, local communities, households and individuals.

You can find general information about air quality, including actions that can be taken to improve local air quality and the date of the next ‘Clean Air Day’, on the Clean Air Hub website.

The Council also welcomes engagement and suggestions from the community about possible local actions that could be taken to improve local air quality.

Air Quality Monitoring 

So as to better understand local air quality, the Council maintains a network of local air quality monitoring sites.  Monitoring results from these local air quality monitoring sites along with similar sites across Wales can be viewed on the Air Quality in Wales website.

2024 Progress Report

The 2024 Air Quality Progress Report contains an assessment of recent monitoring data for NO₂ and PM₁₀ collected during 2024, as well as a review of newly consented developments, new and ongoing areas of interest and relevant Local Authority policies.

It continues to be the case that the vast majority of Rhondda Cynon Taf experiences compliant air quality, which is likely to remain so into the future.  Only some small areas associated with busy urban road junctions, the regional road network or specific local sources are likely to be vulnerable to non-compliant air quality.  It is believed these vulnerable areas, linked to historically high levels of NO₂, have already been declared Air Quality Management Areas [AQMAs] and, in contrast to most locations, the air quality in these vulnerable areas may not improve as rapidly as elsewhere over the long-term.

As a result of demonstrated sustained compliance to the annual mean AQO for NO₂, a number of AQMAs that were within Rhondda Cynon Taf have recently been revoked. However, the Cymmer, Ferndale, Mt Ash Town Centre, Nightingales Bush, Pontypridd Town Centre and Tylorstown AQMAs have been retained as they appear likely to potentially remain non-compliant to the annual AQO for NO₂ into the medium-term whilst future improvement actions take effect.

In 2023 previous monitoring arrangements at Glyncoch came to an end, coinciding with initial uncertainty as to the likely future progression of Craig Yr Hesg Quarry.  With permissions now being granted by the Welsh Minister to enable the continued development of Craig Yr Hesg Quarry, the Local Authority determined to reinvest in upgraded monitoring equipment so as to continue its observation of local air quality within the community.  This period of renewal has meant the Local Authority was only able to undertake very limited PM₁₀ monitoring within Glyncoch during 2023. However, it is expected that monitoring results at Glyncoch for both PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ will become available in 2024 ready for analysis and commentary within the next annual air quality progress report to likely be published in 2025.

Air Quality Managements Areas 

Air Quality Management Areas are declared by the Council via Order under Section 83(1) of the Environment Act 1995.  In response to breaches of the Air Quality Objectives for Nitrogen Dioxide, there are currently six Air Quality Management Areas within Rhondda Cynon Taf:

• Cymmer Air Quality Management Area 
• Ferndale Air Quality Management Area 
• Mountain Ash Town Centre Air Quality Management Area 
• Nightingales Bush Air Quality Management Area 
• Pontypridd Town Centre Air Quality Management Area 
• Tylorstown Air Quality Management Area 

The Council has produced individual Air Quality Action Plans, for each Air Quality Management Area, which set out actions which may improve air quality within them and further the Councils goal to achieve compliance with the relevant Air Quality Objective throughout Rhondda Cynon Taf. 

In implementing the Air Quality Action Plans it is also possible that greater benefits will also be realised, for instance furthering the Councils duties in relation to active travel.  The actions detailed within the Air Quality Action Plans include a broad range of aspirations and mechanisms to affect local air quality.  Some of the actions are specific to an Air Quality Management Area, where others may provide borough wide improvement. The actions are broadly outlined below: 

• Exploring potential locally targeted changes to existing traffic management to reduce or displace traffic congestion at high risk locations.
• Exploring potential locally targeted increased traffic waiting and parking restrictions or the availability of alternative provisions and their enforcement at specific areas to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion.
• Possible local rearrangement of a bus stop to reduce the impact of bus waiting on local traffic congestion.
• Advocating the reduction in permitted speed along part of the A470.
• Supporting the effective implementation of the South East Wales Metro and electrification of the South Wales Central Valley Line.
• Encouraging borough wide behavioural change by the use of existing resources and policy mechanisms to influence greater uptake of public transport, car sharing and efficient journey planning. 

Air Quality Actions

Due to limited resources, it has not been possible to immediately implement all air quality improvement actions.  The Local Authority continues, where possible, to implement or influence the implementation of actions within its AQAPs as well as other actions that may more generally improve local air quality. Improvement actions undertaken recently include the continued construction of the A4119 Coed Ely Dualling Scheme and South Wales Metro Infrastructure, installation of forty-two dedicated electrical vehicle charging points at thirty-one public car parks, subsidised (£1 max fare) bus travel within Rhondda Cynon Taf during parts of 2023 as well as defined free post-16 to 19 education travel and progressing a multimillion pound phased works programme to upgrade and improve a number of active travel routes.

Into the future the Local Authority is continuing to progress a range of actions and initiatives.  These include the design and implementation of several proposed highway improvements to improve ‘pinch-points’, projects to increase usability and awareness of active travel routes and local sustainable transport options. In recognising the potential effects of climate change and the ‘win win’ which may be realised by an holistic approach to environmental issues, the Local Authority continues to advance key local climate change strategies and programmes. This has included, progressing its key Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy and an ambitious renewable energy generation programme.

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