Pollution
Measuring air quality
Air quality is monitored across Highland following the UK National Air Quality Strategy. This sets out the government's objectives to improve and protect air quality in the UK.
Local air quality management
Local authorities have to undertake annual air quality reviews of their areas to make sure the National Air Quality Objectives will be achieved. The pollutants that must be assessed by the local authority are:
- Benzene
- Carbon monoxide
- 1,3-butadiene
- Lead
- Nitrogen dioxide
- Sulphur dioxide
- Fine particles
If the objective for a pollutant is exceeded or predicted to be exceeded by the required compliance date, 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.
An Air Quality Management Area in Inverness City Centre was declared in 2014.
Key air quality action plan measures, such as the Rose Street Bus Gateway completed in 2021 and the introduction of the Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) bus fleet in 2023, have reduced pollutant emissions in the AQMA.
Ongoing monitoring within and around the AQMA confirms that annual mean nitrogen dioxide concentrations are well below the UK Air Quality Objective and have been so for three consecutive monitoring years. A maximum annual mean concentration of 22.4 µg/m3 was recorded in 2024. Because of this, the AQMA was cancelled on 1 June 2025.
Monitoring data can be viewed or downloaded from the Scottish Government Air Quality website.
We will continue to review and assess air quality and publish our air quality data in annual progress reports.
We will also continue the air quality action plan measures until a wider Air Quality Strategy for Highland is developed.
National Low Emission Framework (NLEF) and Low Emission Zones (LEZ)
The National Low Emission Framework, which is now part of the review and assessment process for LAQM reporting in Scotland, contributes to the Cleaner Air for Scotland strategy by aiming to improve local air quality in areas where air quality objectives are exceeded, or likely to be exceeded, primarily due to emissions from transport. The formation of an LEZ is one of the measures considered by the NLEF. A screening process determines whether an LEZ is appropriate in the circumstance of each AQMA.
Our NLEF Stage 1 Screening Appraisal was undertaken in 2021.
The outcome of the screening appraisal was that the proposed measures at the time were sufficient and there was therefore no need to proceed to a Stage 2 Assessment. The general trend of monitoring data suggested that the nitrogen dioxide concentrations had reduced within the AQMA, other than what was believed to be a temporary increase in 2019 due to specific short-term traffic conditions. Action plan measures and local developments, such as the bus station remodelling, were expected to offer longer-term improvements in air quality within the AQMA.
To date, ongoing monitored levels within the AQMA continue to support the 2021 decision.