New plan to tackle the ‘permanent stench’ and ‘stomach-turning stink’ that Merseyside residents are sick of

Air pollution is associated with a number of adverse health impacts and is recognised as a contributing factor in the onset of heart disease and cancer.

Additionally, air pollution particularly affects the most vulnerable in society: children, the elderly, and those with existing heart and lung conditions. The Environment Act 1995 places an ongoing statutory duty on local Authorities to implement improvements where poor air quality exists, and Sefton Council are targeting areas around Dunnings Bridge Road in Bootle.

In relation to air quality outdoors, the pollutants of concern in relation to emissions are Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Particulate Matter (PM), largely associated with road traffic, fuel combustion, industrial processes, and the construction industry. There are increasing concerns nationally over fine, and ultra-fine particles.

The LDRS has reported on numerous complaints from residents in south Sefton who say they are ‘sick’ of the ‘permanent stench’ and ‘stomach-turning stink’ that seems to hang over parts of Seaforth and Bootle for large parts of the year – both of these areas are currently subject to air quality management systems and continuous monitoring.

Elected members met at Bootle Town Hall Hall last night (January 13) for an Overview and Scrutiny Committee for Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services. Councillors were asked to approve reports on a range of topics including an assessment of air quality across Sefton.

Sefton Council monitors air quality across the borough by using a range of technologies and sensors and matches these against other local authority areas across the country. The latest data shows all areas across the borough as being below national limits.

When National Air Quality Standards (NAQS) are exceeded an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) will be introduced, and the council report highlights one area of concern in south Sefton due to built up traffic and congestion – along with other localised pollution sources such as industrial activity – where levels of pollutants like Nitrogen Dioxide have historically exceeded the NAQS limit.

Sefton Council’s head of of Environment David Packard presented the report to the chamber and mentioned a policy which the local authority were looking to implement as he said: “We’ve been considering in the potential introduction of a charging clean air zone, targeting HGVs on the A565, and A536, for a number of years now, to potentially reduce air pollution.

“A lot of air quality modelling was undertaken pre-covid, and this showed potential benefits of introducing a heavy goods vehicle, targeted charging ‘clean air zone’. However, as part of this project, there has been significant stakeholder challenge regarding this proposal, and there’s been no sort of government support offers for Sefton, so it’d be something that we’d have to do as a council in-house.

“In view the sort of challenges and concerns raised by stakeholders, a number of further studies were undertaken. These included the ANPR study in 2022 and a natural compliance assessment.”