Background
Over the past year, we have been working to update our AQAP. Following the declaration of an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA), local authorities are required by law to develop an AQAP, setting out the measures that they intend to take in order to improve local air quality, in pursuit of their air quality objectives. Newcastle City Council has two AQMAs (designated due to exceeding the allowable nitrogen dioxide / NO2 levels. With continued improvements in air quality, the Gosforth AQMA is to be revoked (removed) in 2026, leaving only the city centre AQMA and the subject of this AQAP. The city centre AQMA has not been updated for a number of years as the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) has been developed and implemented. The CAZ continues to help improve air quality but there is still a need to develop a longer-term plan for continued air quality improvement within the city centre.
What we would like you to do
Please give us your views on the draft AQAP using the short form below. You can read it online here: 2026 02 Newcastle AQAP v2 clean. We will keep your answers private and not share them with anyone else. You cannot be identified from them.
Why your views matter
We are keen to hear your thoughts on this strategy before taking it to Cabinet later this year. Please give us your views before 27 March 2026. You can find out how we work to improve air quality in Newcastle here: Air Quality. We will publish the findings from what you tell us on Let's talk Newcastle Online here: Results