EarthSense has been selected by Derbyshire County Council to provide air quality monitoring in and around the town of Ashbourne.
The council will use a network of EarthSense Zephyr® monitors on lighting poles in Ashbourne, combined with EarthSense’s MappAir® modelling tool, to better understand levels of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and particulates in the town.
Pollution in the Buxton Road hill area of Ashbourne was formally designated a public health hazard requiring urgent action by central Government.
As part of that aim, Derbyshire County Council and Derbyshire Dales District Council will track air quality issues and develop an air quality action plan. A public consultation earlier in 2023 found the four most popular actions to tackle pollution in Ashbourne were:
- Engagement with minerals and logistics companies
- Bus service improvement plan actions (bus priority through the town and a mobility hub)
- Real-time travel information for key routes through the town to distribute traffic
- ‘Modeshift STARS’, a travel plan programme in which schools would seek to encourage sustainable travel for teachers, parents and pupils
Greg Lewis, Head of Sales and Marketing for EarthSense, which is based in Leicester, said: “Targeted interventions to improve air quality provide an opportunity to make a positive impact on the urban environment and sometimes the only way to really know is to conduct trials and monitor the situation. We’re pleased to be able to support Derbyshire County Council and the community of Ashbourne in this project to improve air quality.”
