Air quality in Ceredigion – and how to improve it – is on the agenda for county councillors this week.

A progress report detailing the findings of Ceredigion County Council’s monitoring of air quality a key areas around the county is due to be reviewed by members of the healthier communities overview and scrutiny committee.

It indicates that statutory monitoring of nitrogen oxide and airborne particle matter is carried out a number of areas selected as ‘worst case scenario’ locations with high traffic congestion, apart from one rural site used for wider reference.

The report to the meeting on Thursday (27 October) focuses on data from 2021, however a full year of data was not collected due to Covid-19 restrictions, and reference is made to “insufficient data to make valid conclusions regarding the impact of temporary street pedestrianisation and newly formed one-way streets in our towns.”

It adds that it will be the aim of the 2023 progress report to look at what impact the traffic changes made in Great Dark Street, Aberystwyth and High Street and Quay Street, in Cardigan.

Concentrations of nitrogen oxide were higher in 2021 than 2020, probably due to the lifting of lockdown restrictions, however “Ceredigion continues to experience some of the best air quality standards in Wales with all monitoring locations being highly complaint with legal standards,” adds the report.