The quality of the air we breathe can have an effect on our health.

The main causes of poor air quality are industrial and road traffic emissions.

The government and local authorities have a legal commitment to improving air quality.

The pollutants of main concern are nitrogen dioxide (NO2) which has a threshold of 40ugm3 per year, and particulate material (PM10 and PM2.5).

Where air quality is found to exceed standards an air quality management area (AQMA) must be declared. There are currently 11 AQMAs in Newport.

View AQMA locations

In 2019 the council adopted a sustainable travel strategy to work towards reducing the amount of pollution caused by the transport network. 

Our annual air quality report is available to view in the documents below. 

Data

There are 80 diffusion tubes and two automatic monitoring stations located across Newport:  

  • A - St Julians: monitors for nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxides, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), benzene, PM10 and PM2.5
  • B - M4 unit: (operated by Welsh government) monitors for nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide and ozone

Find data from these units on the Welsh Air Quality website.

Smoke control areas

Smoke control areas are not smoke free zones but do restrict chimney emissions for residential and commercial properties.

It is an offence to burn fuel which produces smoke from a chimney in a smoke control area.

Clean fuels that burn without smoke can be used in a smoke control area. 

Such as:

  • gas
  • oil
  • electric heating
  • solid fuels (smokeless fuels) 

Coal and wood should not be burnt on open grate fires in a smoke control area but should be used in an exempt heating appliance.

Court action can be taken against those found to be committing an offence.

  • Austin Friars
  • Cambrian Road
  • Charles Street (numbers over 21)
  • Corn Street
  • Commercial Street 1-41 and 149-177
  • Friars Road
  • Griffin Street
  • High Street
  • Llanarth Street
  • Market Street
  • Skinner Street
  • Upper Dock Street - 6-25 and 167-198
  • Chartist Tower - between 173-174 Upper Dock Street
  • Capel Crescent - 173-225 inclusive and community hall
  • Charlotte Green - 1-24 inclusive; 61-91 inclusive; 123-152 inclusive
  • Francis Court - 25-60 inclusive; 99-122 inclusive; 153-172 inclusive

ECO Stars 

ECO Stars is a fleet recognition scheme that encourages and supports operators of HGVs, vans, buses and coaches to run their fleets more efficiently and improve local air quality.

The scheme is voluntary and completely free.

Your fleet will be rated (operational and environmentally) from 1-5 by industrial experts who will advise how to improve fleet efficiency. 

Visit the ECO Stars website for further details.

Developers

We encourage sustainable travel principles in all development schemes from concept to build. If you are considering submitting a planning application in Newport, you may need to consider air quality.

Email [email protected] to request a copy of our supplementary planning guidance.

Have your say

We would like your views on our 2023-2028 draft air quality action plan. View our consultations page to find out more.

Documents