Air Quality in Basildon – Business Survey

Overview

Locations on a stretch of the A127 and two areas to the south of it (Upper Mayne and East Mayne) in Basildon have been identified as exceeding legal limits for nitrogen dioxide. Essex County Council and Basildon Borough Council were directed by Government to improve air quality on the A127 as quickly as possible and a new 50mph speed limit has now been introduced to tackle that particular issue.

The councils have also been directed by Government to carry out further analysis to establish what measures would be needed to bring air quality on Upper Mayne and East Mayne to legal levels in the shortest possible time. This work is ongoing.

While one option that has been identified is a charging clean air zone, which would see drivers of certain commercial vehicles charged for driving in a designated zone (not including the A127 itself) if their vehicle fails to meet certain emission standards, we are also continuing to explore alternative options.

Why do we need the information?

Poor air quality is a very important issue and we recognise the negative impact it can have on people’s health, however we also want to ensure that any measures to tackle the issue are proportionate and effective.

Robust evidence is needed to demonstrate the potential effectiveness of a clean air zone and alternative measures in the shortest possible time. To enable this to be produced, information is required from businesses in the Basildon Enterprise Corridor to provide a better understanding of the vehicles using Upper Mayne and East Mayne.

Capturing this data from businesses is vital in helping present a good case for alternative measures to a charging clean air zone for the Government to consider.