Wirral's Air Quality Strategy
This survey is now closed.
Why does clean air matter?
The World Health Organisation and the UK Health Security Agency both state that air pollution is the greatest environmental threat to people’s health. Air pollution affects human health from before birth, in the very young, and through to older age adulthood. Although air pollution is harmful to everyone, vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, children and those with pre-existing health conditions are more susceptible to its effects. Air pollution affects people living in more heavily populated areas, which are often areas of higher deprivation. Improvements to air quality will therefore have positive effects on our health.
Why have an Air Quality Strategy?
Earlier this year, the government directed all local authorities to produce an Air Quality Strategy. Wirral has not previously been required to have a strategy in place, as we have not identified the levels of pollution locally that breach legally set limits. We want to use this opportunity to outline some of the work we have already been doing to improve air quality, and to drive forward actions to make further improvements to air quality.
Wirral Council is leading on the development of the Air Quality Strategy for the borough. A workshop was recently held with relevant partners and stakeholders from across the borough and City Region, to identify key priorities aimed at improving air quality for Wirral residents- examples of which can be found here
How can you help?
We are now asking for your views on air quality and which priorities are most important. Your feedback will help us identify the actions that are most important to our residents.
The strategy will be presented to the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee on 5th December 2023 with a recommendation that it be approved.
Further information
You can find further information on air quality in the 'Documents' and 'Further Information' sections of this page.
Domestic burning
As part of our work to improve air quality, the council also asked local people to talk to us about fires they may have at home used for heating, such as wood burners.
We want to help people using domestic burning to better understand how they can use them safely, to minimise the air pollution that can be created inside the home from burning.
To find out more, please visit the Domestic Burning project.
Wirral Council is committed to making information accessible to everyone. If you would like further information, such as a paper copy of the survey or to request documents in another format, or support to complete the survey please contact us on: healthprotectionservice@wirral.gov.uk