Clean air milestone reached in Sudbury as Cross Street pollution zone revoked

18/03/26

After years of sustained improvement in local air quality, Babergh District Council has confirmed that an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) in Cross Street, Sudbury, has been formally revoked, marking a significant milestone in combatting the effects of pollution.

The AQMA was first introduced in 2008 after monitoring revealed elevated levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), mainly linked to traffic congestion along the street.

At that time, annual average concentrations of NO₂ reached 64 micrograms per cubic metre – significantly above the national air quality objective of 40 micrograms per cubic metre.

To address this, a range of measures were introduced through the council’s Air Quality Action Plan. A key part of this plan came into effect in January 2020 when Suffolk County Council removed two sets of on-street parking bays in Cross Street, helping to improve traffic flow and reduce emissions in the area.

Since then, air quality has greatly improved in the area. The last recorded exceedance of the national limit was in 2019 and the removal of the parking bays has helped to ensure that levels have remained well within the standard ever since.

Five years later, in 2024, the highest annual average concentration recorded was 30 micrograms per cubic metre – comfortably below the national objective.

This means that pollution levels have remained compliant with national limits for five consecutive years, exceeding the minimum three-year period recommended by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) before an AQMA can be removed.

With this, Babergh District Council has now officially revoked the air quality zone – a decision also endorsed by Defra through feedback on the council’s 2025 annual report.

However, before confirming the decision, Babergh District Council held a public consultation between December 2025 and January 2026, inviting residents and stakeholders to comment on the proposal.

Cllr Helen Davies, Babergh’s cabinet member for climate change, nature recovery and biodiversity, said: “Thank you to all those that provided feedback through our public consultation. We have carefully considered all responses and are pleased to confirm that we have proceeded with the revocation.
“Reaching this point marks an important milestone for Cross Street and is the culmination of many years of monitoring, partnership working and practical action to reduce pollution in the area.
“Clean air is vital for the wellbeing of our communities, so this sustained improvement is extremely encouraging and helps to ensure that our residents can lead healthy lives.”

Although the AQMA designation has been removed, the measures taken to improve air quality remain in place and monitoring will continue in Sudbury, as well as the wider district, to ensure air quality remains within national standards. This work forms part of the council’s ongoing commitment to protecting public health and supporting cleaner, healthier communities.

Babergh District Council is also preparing a new local air quality strategy, due to be published in the coming months, setting out its plans to continue improving air quality in the years to come.