‘Extra data needed’ to understand pollution issue
A REPORT on how to improve air quality on Wales’ most polluted street and most polluted outside of London says more data needs to be collected to understand the cause.
Located between Blackwood and Pontypool, Hafodrynys Road in Crumlin is the subject of the Air Quality Action Plan which went before Caerphilly council’s Cabinet.
The report recommended communicating with those who used the road most to find out if there was a way of streamlining transport on the road.
Widely regarded as one of the most unhealthy streets to live on, due to the amount of emissions from traffic, the road topped the legal limit for nitrogen dioxide levels for 2017 by March.
Traffic is constant on the road, situated on a steep hill leading towards the village of Hafodrynys, with heavy goods vehicles heading back and forth without respite for residents.
The plan, which went before Cabinet on Wednesday, was prepared by energy and climate change consultancy firm Ricardo Energy and Environment to evaluate and present options to Caerphilly council.
The latest statistics for levels of Nitrogen Dioxide in Hafodrynys Road for 2016 was an average of 70µg/m3, which exceeded levels set by the Welsh Government.
The author of the report stated there was a need to collect further air quality and traffic data to better understand the cause of the high levels of pollution.