Current consultations

In 2015, Derby City Council was identified by DEFRA, along with five other cities, to take early action to improve roadside nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions. A number of contributing factors affect the quality of the air and pollution levels, however the main activity is the use of motor vehicles – particularly with diesel engines.

There is a requirement to reduce NO2 in the air to below 40μg/m3 as soon as possible in line with EU and UK regulations. Derby City Council has undertaken work to predict the NO2 roadside emission levels. This has identified that Stafford Street, near to its junction with Friar Gate, will exceed this limit in the near future if no action is taken.

Although the current restrictions on movement due to the COVID-19 pandemic may have resulted in short term improvements in air quality both locally and nationally, it is suggested these are unlikely to endure once the crisis ends with public transport capacity reduced. The Government remains under a legal obligation to deliver compliance with air quality limits, in the shortest possible time, and has committed to delivering on this obligation by awarding funding to deliver a Roadside NO2 project in Derby.

The Roadside NO2 project includes:

• changes to the junctions at either end of Stafford Street to limit traffic flow
• changes to improve capacity at the Ashbourne Road/Uttoxeter Old Road junction and on Friar Gate to help provide alternative route choices, whilst improving crossing points and widening some footways.

There are some traffic regulation orders (TROs) required as part of these junction amendments that will change how vehicular traffic can access Brick Street and Vernon Street, details of which are shown on the following plans and are outlined below

As part of the package of measures junction alterations are required at the Uttoxeter Old Road / Ashbourne Road and Bridge Street/Brick Street junctions. These alterations are required in order to help facilitate the alternative routes in and around the Stafford Street area – the one site of predicted exceedance.

The traffic regulation orders are part of these junction alterations and are required to:

• implement additional cycle infrastructure in the area to help address issues where existing cycle facilities are being removed 
• address issues raised during the consultation process on the local air quality plan
• enable the overall benefits of the scheme to be achieved.  

Consultation on the preferred Traffic Management solution identified the removal of the right turn facility into Brick Street for cycles, and the provision of two lanes for all traffic turning into Bridge Street where currently the right hand lane is only used by buses, cycles and taxis to access the Bus Gate on Friar Gate. These proposals enable improvement of the existing crossing points, provision of Toucan crossings, shared use footway and contraflow cycling to provide alternative provision in the area.

You can view the traffic regulation order on the Brick Street and Friar Gate page.

Derby City Council draft air quality action plan is also available to download.