Didsbury Clean Air Community Assembly
On 4th March 2024 over 80 people who live, work or volunteer in Didsbury came together to discuss the topic of Air Quality. We wanted to understand the state of air in Manchester and what we can do to improve it.
What were we trying to achieve?
The evening was arranged by a broad coalition of Didsbury based groups. We aimed to represent the community as a whole and bring together as many people as we could to discuss the state of air in Didsbury. Air quality has impacts on Health, Transport, Schools, Climate Change, Cost of Living and just about every aspect of our day to day lives.
We also aimed to widen our experience of Community Assemblies locally, and so strengthen our understanding of the value of participatory democracy.
What happened on the night?
People from all areas of our community came to learn together and try to come up with ways that we can improve the quality of the air that we breathe.
We listened to 5 thought provoking speakers who talked about different aspect of the sources and impacts of Pollution, as well as what we could be doing to make things better. The speakers were:
Sarah Rowe from the Clean Cities Campaign who talked about the state of local air, it's causes and possible solutions.
Dr Sinead Millwood a GP from Levenshulme who described the health impacts of air pollution. (SLIDES)
Chris Jeffries who talked about the Manchester Clean Air plan (SLIDES)
Dan Grant a Withington resident who described his own experience of living in a Low Traffic Neighbourhood (SLIDES)
Liz Godfrey from Mums for Lungs and a Didsbury parent spoke about her family's experience of living with poor air quality (SLIDES)
The audience then split into groups to discuss the matter and try to answer the question 'how might we improve the quality of our air in Didsbury?'. Each group had a facilitator and a notetaker to capture the comments. A representative from each group then fed back their 2 highest priorities to the whole room. These ideas were captured onto sheets of paper and at the end each participant was given 2 stickers to 'vote' on the 2 actions that they would like to be prioritised.
Any conclusions?
The range of opinions expressed was very broad and reflected the community in which we live. A number of themes cropped regularly and we have tried to represent the attendees opinions by capturing the most commonly expressed ideas.
‘How might we improve the quality of our air in Didsbury?’
Below is a summary of the feedback from groups arranged in order of how strongly the theme came through.
Clear communication on air pollution
We all need to keep talking about this.
We need more awareness of how it affects young & old, child safety and child protection.
More communication about the impact of wood burners, and car idling.
Visible feedback of pollution levels.
Positive actions rather than complaining.
Need to message this right to take people along. There are a lot of benefits to clean air and we need messaging about this.
We need a culture shift. How to overcome the barriers of people wanting to drive/feeling safer driving.
Can the arts play a part in making private cars a thing of the past?
Road user pricing
Clean air zone/low emission zone can work if people are educated.
Charge cars by emissions of vehicle/what type of car eg Paris
How much carrot and how much stick? People respond to what hits their pockets
How to get people on board with this? Fair scrappage scheme to compensate the disadvantaged. Concern re the cost of electric cars.
More efficient public transport options
Integrated, better cheaper, small buses that go when full. (Many buses are too big and run empty)
If public transport costs are reduced/predictable/limited then people will use it more.
Electric yellow buses.
More e-scooters and bike hire
Reduce the number of cars
Encourage/roll out car sharing and car clubs. Discourage individual car ownership.
Take parking off the streets. One car on the street per household. Pay for any others. (Issues with displaced parking when it is reduced in one place it moves down the road.)
Park and ride schemes
Remove cars from the equation by direct action, even if this won’t be popular.
School traffic
School Streets, involving communities in setting these up and enforced with cameras and fines.
Walking bus, organised groups of children walking together to school.
Green spaces and green infrastructure
Making green spaces more appealing, and more of them, pocket parks, makes walking and cycling more attractive and driving less so.
Encourage hedges
Plant green screens around schools
Traffic management
Low traffic neighbourhoods, people will change behaviour if we stick with it.
Reduce speed limits
Research what journeys are people making in their cars and why?
Policies and legislation
We need clarity from council on policies, and boldness to take steps and give things time. Good leadership isn’t always about being popular.
More EV charging points in all areas of the city.
Enforcement of legislation – e.g. speed limits, pavements kept free of cars.
Cycle infrastructure
Make cycling more accessible to more people and they will use it.
Cycling buses.
Employer travel schemes
Financial incentives to get workers out of cars.
Love the local
Encourage people to shop locally and enjoy their local area.
Clean air Community Assembly Feedback.pdf
What happens next?
That's up to you to decide! The following groups were involved in the evening and would love to hear from you if you'd like to try to make a difference.
If you have anything to say or feedback to the assembly, or wish to contact anyone from the assembly, please e-mail pppdidsbury@gmail.com.
We will pass on your comments or do our best to put you in touch with the relevant people or groups.
A video from our friends in Whalley Range highlighting the challenges we face when trying to do the right things.
Thanks
Because of the goodwill and generosity of the whole community the evening was completed for almost no cost (just a very small amount of printing costs).
Particular thanks goes to Emmanuel Church who let us use the venue at no cost, our wonderful speakers, Ged (Ged.camera@talk21.com) for taking the photos and to everybody on the organising committee.
This is community in action!