A system of Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) has been in place for a number of years with the aim of ensuring the national air quality objectives will be achieved in all areas. This system places a requirement on local authorities to periodically review the current air quality in their areas and assess whether any locations are likely to exceed the national objectives for 8 pollutants that are known to impact on health. The national Local Air Quality Management website provides further information on the LAQM system.
If the objective for a pollutant is exceeded, or predicted to be exceeded by the required date for compliance, the local authority must declare the affected area an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA). The authority must then draw up and implement an Action Plan to reduce pollution levels in the specified area.
Aberdeen Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs)
Only fine particles (PM10 and PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are of concern in Aberdeen. Road traffic emissions are the main source of the raised levels of these pollutants in some areas.
Aberdeen City Council declared part of the City Centre an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) in June 2001 due to predicted exceedances of the national air quality objectives for NO2 and PM10. Two further AQMAs; one for the Anderson Drive/Haudagain roundabout/Auchmill Road corridor and Wellington Road (Queen Elizabeth II Bridge-Balnagask Road) were declared in 2008, again due to exceedances of the NO2 and PM10 objectives.
Aberdeen Air Quality Management Areas Revocation
Air quality across Aberdeen has progressively improved in recent years and there have been no exceedances or predicted exceedances of any objective within the Wellington Road and Anderson Drive AQMAs since 2018. Consequently the AQMAs for these areas were revoked on 1 February 2025.
There also has been no exceedance of the PM10 or PM2.5 objectives in the City Centre AQMA since 2015. This AQMA was amended on 1 February 2025 and now only relates to NO2. City Centre concentrations of NO2 have also been reducing and it is hoped this AQMA can be revoked by 2027.
All orders and reports relating to the revocations and amendment are available on our air quality reports web page.
Aberdeen Air Quality Action Plan
The Council’s Air Quality Action Plan 2011 is currently being updated to account for the revocation and amendment of the AQMAs, and ongoing policies and activities to continue to improve air quality in Aberdeen.