Air quality improvements recorded in Oxfordshire

Improvements in air quality have been recorded after measures were taken to tackle pollution.

South Oxfordshire District Council said progress had been made in Henley and Watlington, which were both designated air quality management areas (AQMAs).

They received targeted action from the local authority after nitrogen dioxide pollutant levels were found to be higher than the national target.

The AQMAs have now been removed for each location, but the council said it would "remain vigilant" and continue to monitor the air quality across the district.

At a meeting councillors heard air quality in the districts had seen seen a consistent reduction in nitrogen dioxide, which is largely produced by combustion engine vehicles, over five years.

Watlington had seen a reduction of approximately 54% since it was declared an AQMA in March 2009, while Henley had seen a reduction of approximately 31% since January 2003.

Councillor Sue Cooper said the improvement could partly be down to more electric vehicles on the road and technological improvements in car engines.

"We will continue to promote measures such as walking and cycling for short journeys, the increased use of public transport where possible and the take up of low or no emission vehicles," she said.

"The council will remain vigilant and continue to monitor air quality to ensure the pollutant levels are not left unchecked."

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead said it had seen similar results to South Oxfordshire and revoked its AQMA in May 2025.

Wokingham Borough Council said AQMAs in Twyford Centre Crossroads and 60m either side of the M4 were also revoked in January 2025.

Reading Borough Council said a borough-wide Smoke Control Area (SCA) was introduced in Reading in December 2024, but it was too soon to know its impact.

David Dickie from Clean Air Henley said the removal of the special measures was "premature" and the AQMAs should remain in place.

He said: "The measurements at the council's monitoring station in Henley could lead you to assume pollution is no longer a problem in the town but that is just one spot."

Marta O'Brien, an environmental scientist and air quality researcher with the University of Reading, said better education was needed.

She said local authorities also needed to take more measurements at hot spots like hospitals and schools and at peak times like rush hour.

"Aim at areas with more people, targeted areas and times," she said.

She said the removal of the AQMAs was "sending the wrong message" by telling people that "the air quality is clean".

In the UK the the legal annual average limit for nitrogen dioxide pollution is 40 micrograms per cubic metre of air.

O'Brien said she wanted people to have "a better understanding of what air pollution is doing to us".

She added that the reduction in nitrogen dioxide to the legal limit, did not mean the air was clean.

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