Businesses in Stoke-on-Trent are encouraged to share their views on air quality in the city.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has launched a consultation on its updated Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP), which outlines a range of measures aimed at reducing pollution and supporting healthier communities and environments.
The new AQAP focuses on four key areas: reducing congestion at the Waterloo Road and Cobridge Road junction; supporting the wider North Staffordshire Air Quality Plan; encouraging public transport and active travel; and offering grants to help residents improve the energy efficiency of their homes.
This action plan replaces the previous plan which ran from 2015 to 2025. Projects delivered through the past action plan include: reduced congestion in Burslem town centre; road network improvements in Cobridge, Fenton, Joiners Square, Stoke and Basford; a major highway and transport scheme in Etruria Valley; and walk to school initiatives.
Local businesses are being invited to contribute to the consultation to ensure their views are reflected in the final version of the plan.
Declan Riddell, policy adviser at Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “Prolonged exposure to poor air quality can cause up to 36,000 premature deaths every year.
“We encourage anyone who lives or works in the city of Stoke-on-Trent, to take a moment and share their views on local air quality issues, in order to inform the Action Plan.”
The survey takes around five to 10 minutes to complete and is open until midnight on Sunday, 17 August.
A city council spokesperson added: “Your input will allow the council to understand whether the proposed updated air quality action plan has fully captured concerns from the community, and help ensure that the plan is robust enough to safeguard human and environmental health for current and future generations.”
