March 22nd 2019

Derby City Council will receive an initial £4.5m of funding to take forward the traffic management measures proposed to tackle and reduce roadside emissions in the shortest possible time.

The outline business case submitted in February, put forward a traffic and network management solution to tackle the one area of exceedance, identified on Stafford Street, and includes several junction design changes, and a significant modernisation of the Council’s urban traffic management system.

In a letter received from Dr Therese Coffey MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment, she acknowledged the work done so far, and announced the release of funding to allow the Council to proceed towards developing the implementation and contract arrangements for the outline traffic management measures.

The full business case will be submitted to government on the 26th March 2019. It will then be subject to the necessary approvals from the Secretary of State.

The Council has been liaising with DEFRA since December 2015, after being informed that Derby was one of five lead local authority areas selected to take action to reduce Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) emissions from vehicles, in the shortest possible time.

Councillor Matthew Holmes, Cabinet Member for Leadership, Regeneration and Public Protection and Deputy Leader of the Council said:

“I am delighted that Government have confirmed this initial funding, which will allow us to move towards implementation to address our legal responsibilities in regard to nitrogen dioxide at the site of exceedance, in the shortest time possible.

Reducing pollution levels and improving the quality of air across the whole of our city will continue to be a priority. We will look to seek ongoing support from Government to help deliver it beyond the measures proposed as part of our business case, which has had to be given priority at this time.”