Air Quality Problem to be Tackled Across Bedford Town Centre

2.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 4th Oct 2008

The success of the Lib Dem proposal to designate Bedford Town Centre as an Air Quality Management Area will help provide a more co-ordinated response to problems such as traffic congestion

Bedford Town Centre is to be declared an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) following the success of a Liberal Democrat proposal at last night's meeting of the General Purposes Committee of Bedford Borough Council. The decision commits the council to take action to improve air quality across the town centre area.

Previously, individual AQMAs were in place for the High Street and an area of Prebend Street. However, Liberal Democrats have pressed for an area-wide AQMA for the town centre because of evidence of the spread of air quality problems and the need to take co-ordinated action to tackle them across the town.

Liberal Democrat Councillor and Committee Vice-Chair Tim Hill said: "The introduction of an AQMA for the whole town centre will not come a moment too soon. We have long called for this action as a comprehensive approach to improving air quality is clearly needed. '

"I am delighted that the committee agreed with our call to put public health first. Co-ordinated action to improve air quality across the town is good news for everyone. Thankfully the committee did not agree with the bizarre claim in the report presented at last night's meeting that such essential action on air quality would deter businesses from coming to Bedford. Just as a clean, healthy town is in the interest of residents, it is also good for local businesses who want the town centre to be an attractive place to visit."