Pollution reaching crisis point (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Pollution reaching crisis point

10:12am Wednesday 27th February 2008 in News By Peggy Clatworthy

Traffic pollution problems in Tewkesbury High Street are almost at crisis point.

Monitoring equipment in the High Street shows that pollution is increasing, and is now on the brink of a level that could have it declared an Air Policy Management Area.

This means that the borough council must put together an action plan and traffic management measures have to be introduced In extreme circumstances these could include closing the road to traffic, or at least restricting it.

Drivers who create too much pollution, or leave their engines running unnecessarily could be fined Environmental protection officers are monitoring the situation and will prepare a report for the council's March meeting.

However Town and Borough Councillor Mike Sztymiak says the solution to the problem is simple He says that the monitoring equipment is sited by the pedestrian crossing at the lower end of the High Street, where vehicles are forced to wait with their engines running, causing more pollution.

He feels that moving the crossing further down the High Street, possibly outside Marks and Spencer, where the road and pavement are wider, would allow the traffic to flow more freely, and the fumes to disperse more readily.

The county council tried to reduce traffic problems introduce a partial one-way system into the area three years ago.

It was welcomed by the borough council but turned down by town council.

Now the borough would like to see the Northern Relief road project, cancelled after strong local objections over 10 years ago, back on the agenda.

Local County and Tewkesbury town councillor Graham Dawson said that with £18,million of road repairs outstanding after last summer's floods the money for this is just not available.