Commentary on Sections Part 1 – Air quality Local air quality management
86.Under Part 4 of the 1995 Act, local authorities in Wales are responsible for managing air quality at local level, through the Local Air Quality Management process (LAQM). The LAQM process requires local authorities to periodically review and assess air quality in their area, and to designate air quality management areas and produce action plans for those areas where air quality is found to be at risk of exceeding pollutant standards and objectives.
87.Section 82 of the 1995 Act makes provision for every local authority in Wales to conduct a review of the quality, and the likely future quality within the relevant period, of air within the authority's area. Where a local authority carries out such a review, it must also make an assessment of whether air quality standards and objectives are being achieved or are likely to be achieved within the relevant period within the authority's area.
88.Following an air quality review, if it appears that any air quality standards or objectives are not being achieved or are not likely to be achieved within the period prescribed in regulations, the local authority must designate any part of its area in which those standards are not being achieved, as an air quality management area or “designated area”.