THURROCK Council is set to sign up to an Essex-wide air quality strategy to help cut pollution in the borough.

Thurrock Council Thurrock currently has 18 Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA), where pollutants such as Nitrous Oxide exceed national targets.

The borough's Air Quality and Health Strategy expired in 2021 and the council says "there have been some considerable delays in making its successor".

In December 2019 the British Heart Foundation said Government data ranked Thurrock one of the worst polluted areas in the country. The borough was named the seventh worst town in the country for pollution, with residents breathing in the air that is the equivalent of smoking 138 cigarettes a year.

Little has improved since.

The borough now has the opportunity to adopt Essex County Council's "All Essex Air Quality Strategy" which would fulfil its statutory obligation to produce one.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday (11 December), Cllr Victoria Holloway, the portfolio holder responsible for place and the environment, said: "Air pollution does not stop at our borders. 50 per cent of monitor here in Thurrock is not emitted locally which is significantly more than the contribution of road traffic.

"Working with collaboratively with our neighbouring boroughs is an important way to tackle this issue."

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Health and well-being portfolio holder Cllr Mark Hooper, welcomed the joint strategy.

He said: "Bad air affects our health in many different ways, not just with our breathing but it contributes to strokes and heart conditions.

"I met with my counterparts in Essex and Southend who are also adopting the policy and bearing in mind 50 per cent of our pollution doesn't come from Thurrock, I think partnerships with other local authorities should be welcomed."

Council leader Cllr John Kent, leader of the council, added: "We all know air quality in Thurrock just isn't good enough. We know it's a major driver of early death in the borough and it's something that needs to be gripped.

"My challenge we'll is that we sign up to the strategy, it's a good strategy but we do need to look at the practical difference is that going to make to air quality in Thurrock because that's what we all want to see. Some real difference as quickly as we can."

The draft joint AQS, produced by consultants on behalf of the county, is intended to be adopted by all local authorities in Essex, including Southend.

The issue of air quality in Thurrock is not new. In 2022 Nub News reported on plans by the local authority to make a difference: https://thurrock.nub.news/news/local-news/where-does-air-quality-stand-in-list-of-priorities-for-thurrock-council-is-question-after-leading-campaigner-on-the-subject-leaves-cabinet-and-the-councils-director-of-public-health-says-we-are-doing-some-work-in-the-background-137093