Air quality monitoring in Solihull

Having clean air to breathe protects our wellbeing and keeps us healthy.

Having clean air to breathe protects our wellbeing and keeps us healthy. We want the air in our borough to be clean in order to avoid health problems

Solihull Clean Air Strategy

Solihull’s Clean Air Strategy 2019-2024 was approved in February 2019 (The strategy is currently under review; a revised version will be published later this year).

The strategy explains how the we will improve air quality across the borough over the next five years.

Read the strategy

Pollutants mainly come from human activities such as road traffic, building heating, industry and burning fuel. Some come from natural sources such as wind-blown dust and decomposing organic matter.

Air pollution has an impact on everyone living and working in our borough. However, it is the most vulnerable people such as children, older people and those with heart and respiratory conditions who feel the effects most.

People living near busy roads are exposed to higher levels of road traffic pollution. If you have a long term health condition or live on a busy road you can find your local air pollution forecast and associated health advice on the Defra website.

We are currently testing the air quality in the borough using diffusion tubes at 54 sites. We are also taking action to improve air quality across the borough, examples of this include:

  • School Streets - an initiative that tackles traffic congestion outside schools to promote healthy travel for pupils and parents alike
  • Wildlife Ways - an ambitious project part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, boosting wildlife and helping people to walk and cycle by improving routes across the borough.
  • Active travel - supporting pupils to walk and cycle to school safely avoiding the need to travel by car
  • Cycling and Walking Strategy - this strategy is being developed to reduce congestion in the borough, improve air quality and enhance people’s physical and mental health

We all have a part to play in improving air quality - here are some top tips:

  • Think about leaving the car at home - even for just one day per week. You can plan a journey using public transport with Transport for West Midlands
  • Cycle to work or school
  • Switch off your engine when you’re in stationary traffic or parked (and it’s safe to do so)
  • Buying a new car - have you thought about an LPG or electric vehicle? The Council has a pool of electric vehicles for staff to use whilst out and about in the borough on Council business
  • Reduce your exposure to air pollution by choosing quieter streets when walking or cycling
  • If you own a wood burner always use smokeless fuels or well-seasoned wood, this is wood that has had a chance to dry out properly, so it burns efficiently and with less pollution
  • Visit the global action plan website for advice on how to keep air pollution in your home to a minimum

For more tips visit the Clean Air Day website.

Air quality reports

As part of our legal duties, Solihull Council is required to undertake an annual review and assessment of air quality across the borough and present the results in the form of an Annual Statement Report. The reports are submitted to Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for scrutiny prior to publication.

Copies of published annual reports are available by selecting the links below: