Summary
| wdt_ID | Key metrics | % agreeing | % disagreeing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mission statement | 83% | 8% |
| 3 | Aiming to achieve WHO air quality targets | 65% | 21% |
| 12 | Action 1: Continue to deliver transport, environmental, energy services & planning programmes | 77% | 9% |
| 13 | Action 2: Raise people’s awareness of poor indoor air quality and provide solutions | 74% | 9% |
| 14 | Action 3: Raise awareness of the air pollution harms of domestic wood burning | 68% | 15% |
| 15 | Action 4: Use natural infrastructure to improve air quality | 91% | 4% |
| 16 | Action 5: Promote best practice on building maintenance & ventilation for better indoor air quality | 82% | 5% |
| 17 | Action 6: Support energy efficiency and cleaner heating solutions | 77% | 11% |
| 18 | Action 7: Raise awareness about air pollution to reduce personal exposure | 71% | 11% |
| 19 | Action 8: Promote training for healthcare professionals | 65% | 15% |
Overall
- Levels of agreement are high for the mission statement, the ambition to reach WHO air quality targets and all the actions
- Agreement is consistently higher amongst females and generally higher amongst those who work in, or visit Portsmouth, younger people and those with a disability
- Disagreement levels are 15% or lower for all actions
- Disagreement tends to fall into two main camps: some respondents feel air pollution is not a significant issue in Portsmouth and believe council resources should be directed elsewhere, while others think the council’s proposed actions do not go far enough and would prefer stronger measures on clean air, better public transport, and traffic reduction
Attitudes towards air pollution
- 73% of respondents are concerned about air pollution in Portsmouth; 69% feel that the air in their own neighbourhoods is particularly polluted some or all the time
- Females, younger demographics and those with a disability are all more likely to be concerned and perceive neighbourhood pollution to be more of a problem
- More than 50% of respondents are concerned by all the suggested impacts of air pollution, top being the impact on the health of children and on the environment
- Breathing problems such as asthma, persistent coughs and allergies are considered the main impacts on health
- Just less than half of the sample are concerned about indoor air pollution (49%), although again, females, younger demographics and those with a disability are more likely to be concerned
- 58% would find a checklist of actions to improve indoor air pollution to be useful
Causes of air pollution
- The top two causes of air pollution, by far, are perceived to be both kinds of traffic i.e. vans/lorries/HGVs and cars (60%-65%)
- Close together, behind road traffic, are freight traffic and shipping at Portsmouth International Port (31%-33%)
- Agriculture is seen as the least contributing factor to air pollution in Portsmouth (6%)
Further comments
- It is clear from further comments left about the strategy that respondents tend to view the clean air issue through the lens of transport and infrastructure first, rather than public health. For many, it is inextricably linked with needing better public transport, tackling the traffic and parking issues in the city, cutting engine idling and reducing car usage. However, when you look at the comments made about the mission statement and the individual actions, the public health messages in the draft strategy do come through clearly and are understood by most of the audience
- Using natural infrastructure is the most supported action and a desire for more greenery in the city is echoed in the comments
- Promoting training for healthcare professionals has the lowest level of agreement, seemingly because respondents don’t view it as being the direct remit of the NHS, that the NHS already has enough to do, or that they should already be doing that. There is also some concern about how that would be funded or what it would look like in practice
- Respondents are sceptical about the implementation of the strategy, and some criticise it for being vague or not having enough specific, direct actions included. A relatively small proportion criticise the council for not including any actions targeting the port and its activities
- Other aspects of air quality, not directly touched on in the actions, are mentioned by a relatively small proportion such as limiting BBQs, bonfires and fireworks; and pollution from smoking, vaping and cannabis
Recommendations
- While the public health approach is understandable to the audience and a good hook on which to try and hang behaviour change, it is important to make sure awareness and education programmes continue to make that link while also referencing the other areas of work directly related to delivering the strategy successfully (transport, planning, housing, wellbeing services etc.). It may also be beneficial to explain how different departments work and consult together to aid understanding and reduce frustration at perceived disjointed working
- Some feel that the council should be leading through example on this issue and needs to put its own house in order before telling residents how to behave. This comes out in comments such as the need to install solar panels on council buildings, making sure council housing stock is up to standard, ensuring the port and its activities are as green as possible, having all electric fleets etc.
- Many express a desire for progress measurement, evidence and success criteria to be shared. Given that, it will be important to make sure the strategy can demonstrate how it is delivering against the proposed actions during and at the end of the 14-year strategy period
