Rotherham pollution hotspots removed from watchlist as air quality improves

Traffic pollution has fallen substantially along two of Rotherham’s busiest routes, with nitrogen dioxide remaining within the national limit for three years.

Two parts of Rotherham officially classed as air-pollution hotspots are set to lose that status after nitrogen dioxide levels remained within the national limit for three consecutive years.

placeholder image — Fitzwilliam road, Rotherham

Rotherham Council is preparing to revoke the air quality management areas covering Fitzwilliam Road and Rawmarsh, which were created in 2004 and 2016 respectively because pollution exceeded national objectives.

For people living, walking and working alongside some of the borough’s busiest roads, the change represents official recognition that the amount of traffic-related nitrogen dioxide in the air has fallen substantially.

At Fitzwilliam Road, the more polluted of the two areas, the highest annual average recorded at a location where people could be exposed fell from 39.5 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023 to 30.2 in 2025.

The Fitzwilliam Road area extends from St Ann’s roundabout towards Eldon Road and takes in roads including Chesterton Road, Sycamore Road, Doncaster Road and St Ann’s Road.

In Rawmarsh, the equivalent measurement fell from 32.9 to 28.5 during the same period.

The Rawmarsh designation covers an area bounded by roads including Aldwarke Road, Broad Street, Greasbrough Road, Greasbrough Lane, High Street, Dale Road, Green Lane and Barbers Avenue.

The national annual average objective is 40 micrograms per cubic metre.

The council attributes the improvement largely to cleaner vehicles replacing older, more polluting models on the roads. Nitrogen dioxide in the two areas is primarily associated with emissions from traffic.

Its modelling predicts that levels will continue to fall until at least 2028. By then, the highest readings are forecast to be 27.3 micrograms per cubic metre around Fitzwilliam Road and 25.8 in Rawmarsh.

An air quality management areas must be declared when a council finds that national pollution objectives are not being met. The designation requires the authority to recognise the problem and take action to improve it.

Removing the designation does not mean that the areas are pollution-free, nor is it the removal of a clean-air charge or driving restriction. It is an administrative change acknowledging that measurements are now below the current national objective and are expected to remain there.

A council report said: “Air quality monitoring data demonstrates that for the past three years the levels of annual mean nitrogen dioxide in the Fitzwilliam Road and Rawmarsh area have been compliant with the relevant national air quality objective.”

It added that air quality had improved significantly across Rotherham since monitoring began in the late 1990s.

Notices announcing the proposed revocations were issued on July 31. Subject to any responses received during the six-week consultation period, both orders will be revoked on September 11.