Limerick City & County Council’s Active Travel team is continuing to monitor nitrogen dioxide levels across the Metropolitan area and has been doing so for a twelve month period.
It follows a series of N02 (nitrogen dioxide) diffusion tubes having been installed at a number of locations in 2023 where Active Travel schemes were yet to be constructed, to allow air quality to be established and compared.
N02 is primarily released into the air from the burning of fuel, forming from the emissions of cars, trucks, buses and other similar vehicles.
High concentrations of N02 can irritate the airways in the human respiratory system. Over short periods that can aggravate existing respiratory conditions, particularly asthma, leading to respiratory symptoms such as coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing. People with asthma, as well as children and the elderly are generally at greater risk for the adverse health effects of N02.
The current EU limit is set at 40 micrograms per cubic metre. However, this EU limit is to be reduced to 20 micrograms per cubic metre by 2030.
Senior Engineer with the Active Travel department at Limerick City & County Council, Sean McGlynn, commented:
“There are a number of ways to assess the success of the ongoing work we’re doing here in Active Travel in rolling out enhanced walking and cycling infrastructure across the Metropolitan area and into the county. Air quality is a key part of that, with encouraging signs being shown in the majority of areas that the team has been monitoring over the past year in respect of nitrogen dioxide.
"Encouraging that modal shift to more sustainable methods of travel in Limerick, by continuing to develop new infrastructure, will hopefully see those nitrogen dioxide levels falling further in the coming months and years.”
Diffusion tubes were installed in September 2023 at the following locations:
- Ballycummin Road, Raheen
- R510 Quinn’s Cross to Raheen
- Fr. Russell Road, Raheen
- Doordoyle Road
- Childers Road (West)
- Childers Road (East)
- Plassey Park Road, Castletroy
- Corbally Road
- Mill Road, Corbally
- High St (near Milk Market)
- Bellefield Gardens, Ennis Road
- Ennis Road (Lawn Tennis Club)
- Ennis Road (Gaelic Grounds)
- TUS Moylish
- Old Cratloe Road
A further three diffusion tubes were installed at the following locations in November 2023:
- Brookville Avenue
- Scoil Mháthair Dé, South Circular Road
- Roden St
A further three diffusion tubes were installed at the following locations in February 2024:
- Ballykeefe
- Wickham St
- Gerald Griffin St
A further three diffusion tubes were installed at the following locations in April 2024:
- O’ Connell St / William St
- Brookville Avenue / Shannamore Park
- Brookville Avenue (no.88)
The yearly average across each of these locations is as follows:
|
Location |
NO2 average micrograms per cubic metre level across 2023-2024 |
Below proposed 2030 EU limit (yes/no) |
Difference in micrograms per cubic metre above/below proposed 2030 EU limit (green indicates below; red indicates above) |
Below current EU limit (40 micrograms) |
|
Ballycummin Road, Raheen |
20.76 |
No |
+ 0.76 |
Yes |
|
R510 Quinn’s Cross to Raheen |
19.90 |
Yes |
- 0.10 |
Yes |
|
Fr. Russell Road, Raheen |
18.36 |
Yes |
- 1.64 |
Yes |
|
Dooradoyle Road |
18.57 |
Yes |
- 1.43 |
Yes |
|
Childers Road (West) |
20.38 |
No |
+ 0.38 |
Yes |
|
Childers Road (East) |
23.71 |
No |
+ 3.71 |
Yes |
|
Plassey Park Road, Castletroy |
14.36 |
Yes |
- 5.64 |
Yes |
|
Corbally Road |
18.93 |
Yes |
- 1.07 |
Yes |
|
Mill Road, Corbally |
15.92 |
Yes |
- 4.08 |
Yes |
|
High St (near Milk Market) |
25.35 |
No |
+ 5.35 |
Yes |
|
Bellefield Gardens, Ennis Road |
14.52 |
Yes |
- 5.48 |
Yes |
|
Ennis Road (Lawn Tennis Club) |
17.23 |
Yes |
- 2.77 |
Yes |
|
Ennis Road (Gaelic Grounds) |
15.27 |
Yes |
- 4.73 |
Yes |
|
TUS Moylish |
18.26 |
Yes |
- 1.74 |
Yes |
|
Old Cratloe Road |
15.35 |
Yes |
- 4.65 |
Yes |
|
Brookville Avenue* |
37.31 |
No |
+ 17.31 |
Yes |
|
Scoil Mháthair Dé, South Circular Road* |
18.05 |
Yes |
- 1.95 |
Yes |
|
Roden St* |
17.14 |
Yes |
- 2.86 |
Yes |
|
Ballykeefe** |
20.13 |
No |
+ 0.13 |
Yes |
|
Wickham St** |
28.55 |
No |
+ 8.55 |
Yes |
|
Gerald Griffin St** |
23.96 |
No |
+ 3.96 |
Yes |
|
O’ Connell St / William St*** |
28.95 |
No |
+ 8.95 |
Yes |
|
Brookville Avenue / Shannamore Park*** |
16.70 |
Yes |
- 3.30 |
Yes |
|
Brookville Avenue (no.88)*** |
23.03 |
No |
+ 3.03 |
Yes |
*Average taken from November 2023
** Average taken from February 2024
*** Average taken from April 2024
The Active Travel team is to continue monitoring N02 levels at the above locations, where it ties in with upcoming Active Travel projects, to build on the existing records in each area.
