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Air quality improves across Wakefield district

Tuesday, September 22, 2026

People across Wakefield are benefitting from cleaner air following significant improvements in air quality across the district.

The Council has been monitoring air quality for over 25 years and are now pleased to be able to remove seven Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs). Reflecting sustained improvements in air quality and compliance with national standards. The move follows a long period of monitoring which has shown nitrogen dioxide levels in these areas have remained below national air quality objectives for several years.

The districts eighth and final AQMA is also meeting nationally set targets and could follow a similar path in the future.

“It’s pleasing to see that we have made so much progress in reducing Nitrogen Dioxide emissions across the district that we no longer need to apply these management areas.

“Breathing in polluted air affects our health and costs the NHS and our economy billions of pounds each year. Despite being able to remove these AQMAs, all the monitoring that we do now will continue to ensure air quality remains compliant.”

Cllr Rebecca Webster

Cabinet Member for Safer Stronger Communities

Cllr Rebecca Webster

Local authorities must monitor the quality of air within their areas under the Environment Act 1995, produce an annual Air Quality Annual Status Report (ASR) and apply special management areas known as Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA’s) where UK limits for air quality are not met.

There are currently eight of these areas in Wakefield, which were declared between 2004 and 2013. Monitoring has found that;

  • In 2023, levels in Wakefield city centre fell below national targets for the first time

  • Air quality within the other seven areas has consistently been below UK limits for between 8-12 years.

Wakefield Council’s Cabinet has today agreed to remove the Air Quality Management Area Orders in the seven compliant areas.

The Council will continue to monitor air quality across the district and publish its yearly findings through its Annual Status Report. More information can be found at https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/bins-recycling-and-environmental-health/environmental-health/environmental-protection/air-quality

Watch the Cabinet meeting again at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLilikhJ0zt3272-X321ObPci8srBgmT2e

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