Low Emission Strategies

The Low Emission Partnership runs a national work programme to develop tools and resources for local authority practitioners. These ideas have developed and evolved since the Partnership was formed in 2008. The key projects are listed below. Click on the links for more details.

Outputs from the 2013-2015 Work Programme, plus 2016 updates

The following resources were produced under the 2013-15 work programme. Some outputs have been updated through work completed in 2016.

• Air Quality Manager’s Guide:An alternative framework for appraisal of local air quality policies, plans and action. Intended to support AQ managers in their role and point the way to relevant detailed information both on the LEP website and beyond: Download text and charts

Low Emission Planning

The Partnership undertook significant new work on Low Emission Planning Policy during 2013-15. This consolidated earlier work and elaborated on the local policy approach and underpinning emission assessment methods and tools. It provides a revised approach to significance testing, and provides a mechanism to overcome conflicts and limitation of current approaches. The model has since been adopted by City of York and Lancaster City Council, both of whom have worked closely with the Partnership to develop revised local guidance.

• Local Policy Guidance for Low Emission Planning (June 2015):
  This Policy Note provides a development control tool to encourage developers and agents to support action through the planning system to help improve air quality and lower transport emissions. It is a local guidance draft, which could be used by local authorities as a policy template for low emission planning. Download: Main Text and Technical Appendices.
  
  The LEP is working with both York and Lancaster to develop tailored local guidance based on this approach. Lancaster Draft Guidance is published on the Low Emission Hub, alongside guidance templates which can be used by any local authority interested in pursuing the approach.
• Technical Guidance for Emission Assessment of Development Sites (March 2015, updated Nov 2016):
  This note provides technical guidelines for undertaking emissions assessment for a development site. The method is designed to meet the evolving assessment needs of Local Air Quality and Low Emission Planning Policies. Download: EMA-TG (v2)
• Emission Assessment Reporting Template (March 2015, updated Nov 2016):
  This emissions assessment report book supports use of the Emission Assessment Guidelines above (EMA-TG), by providing excel templates to structure and present summary results. Download: EMA-RB (v2) and EMA-SR (v2.0)
  
  Examples of the approach are demonstrated in the following case studies on the Low Emission Hub: Finch Manor, Kennedy Drive, Chestnut Heath..
• Emission Assessment Tools and Methods (Dec 2016):
  Since 2009, a key focus of the Partnership’s work has been to quantify transport emissions and damage costs associated with new development. The latest tools and materials link directly to Emission Assessment Guidelines (EMA-TG). They are presented in full here.
• Local Planning Policy Appraisal (method and example) (Feb 2015, updated Nov 2016):
  This Report presents the results and conclusions of work to investigate the scale of emissions harm posed by different development sites, and to estimate the potential emissions benefits of low emission mitigation measures. (Note: Damage cost calculations reflect Defra Damage Costs at time of publication. NOX Damage Costs were subsequently revised by Defra in Sept 2015. The report tables were updated in November 2016 to reflect this.) Download: Policy Appraisal and 2016 update

Local Action

• Three major case studies: Development Site in York, Liverpool Docks Expansion and Tiverton Eastern Urban Extension. The LEP has worked closely with York, Sefton and Mid Devon Councils to develop and supplement the local approaches to developer negotiations, underpinned by emission assessment. Relevant materials will be published via the Low Emission Hub once the associated planning processes have been completed.

• Local Action Review - Update November 2013 - This report provides a broad review of current progress being made by local councils in delivering low emission measures and identifies examples of good or interesting practice.

Topic Notes

• Review of EFT (v7.0) changes and impact on emissions / damage costs (Sep 16): The impact of an update of Defra’s Emission Factor Toolkit was reviewed, identifying impacts on NOX / PM emissions and damage costs.
• Vehicle Mass Emissions (Sep 16): Comparison of emission characteristics (projected by EFT v7.0 and CURED) for Euro 4, 5 and 6 vehicles – provided as background information for design and specification of planning measures.
• Low emission planning policy and guidance review (Apr 2015) Review (undertaken 2013-14) of published and draft Low Emission planning policies and guidance from Bradford, West Midlands, Sussex, Mid Devon and the Low Emission Partnership at that time. It compares the respective aims, approach, assessment requirements and mitigation expectations. The review helped develop the Partnership’s own planning guidance and emission assessment methods.
• Review of Low Emission Zone / Low Emission Strategy Feasibility Studies (Apr 2015) Review of progress of Defra-funded LEZ/LES feasibility studies to Mar 2014. Providing a snapshot of status, scope and outputs at that time, and identifying common themes and learnings. The review required development of a comparison approach which has potential for wider application, not least to examine subsequent progress of the projects.
• Rapid review of status and progress between air quality and public health (Mar 2015) Desk based review of progress on work linking air quality and public health at local level.
• Briefing paper on non-tailpipe particulate emissions from road transport (Dec 2014) (i.e. brake, tyre wear and abrasion). Report includes emission factors and real world trends, and highlights the importance of non-exhaust PM
• Provision of Electric Vehicle Charging Points via Planning Agreements (Dec 2013) This note provides a short review of current policy and practice on provision of Electric Vehicle charging points via planning agreements. It also identifies some development issues and considerations, including around policy adoption, risks associated with technical specification and approach towards strategic network development.
• Assessing Air Quality Impacts of Development Sites (Dec 2013) – This note helps local authorities develop effective and efficient air quality planning policy. It identifies principles for integrating two key sources of national guidance on this issue, published respectively by the Low Emission Partnership and EPUK.

The National Assessment

Estimating the potential benefits of actions by local authorities to reduce transport emissions.

Research conducted in 2011 with Local Government Regulation indicated that local action has potential to significantly reduce transport emissions in England and Wales. Associated health and environmental benefits are estimated at over £1 Billion per year by 2015.

Download the Report

The Low Emission Hub

An online case studies database for local policies, plans and measures that reduce transport emissions. Use the Hub to view, search and browse different policies and measures. Register to upload your own case studies to the database.

Planning Guidance for Low Emission Developments

Download joint Low Emission Partnership / Defra guidance on ways to reduce emissions from transport via the planning system (including specific guidance on SPDs).

Procurement Guidance for Low Emission Fleets

The Partnership has produced guidance to assist public sector organisations in meeting environmental obligations with respect to Air Quality and Climate Change. The document provides practical advice and examples of best practice in the use of procurement to reduce road transport emissions.

Sefton Procurement Tool

Sefton and the Low Emission Partnership have developed a process guide for Council Procurement. The guide emphasises the need to influence the procurement activity at all stages and particularly at the outset, when there is most scope to affect subsequent emissions. As such it complements existing technical guidance and tools, such as the Partnership’s Low Emission Toolkit. The guide is provided as a power point presentation, stepping through the procurement process with hyper-links to more detailed information and resources. This is intended to make it quicker and easier both to use and to maintain than traditional report style guidance. The format also means that it can be easily adapted to meet the needs of other authorities or changing circumstances within an authority.

Standardisation and Assurance for Low Emission Developments

The Partnership is considering development of a standardisation and assurance scheme to recognise planning developments which implement measures to reduce transport emissions. A scoping study was commissioned in 2012 to explore the idea. Further work is ongoing throughout the current work programme (2013-15).

Emission Assessment Tools and Methods

Download tools and methods to quantify costs and benefits of low emission vehicle fleets and planning developments.

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