1. Air Quality Monitoring Summary
Most of the time pollution levels in Exeter are low, and are unlikely to affect you if you are healthy. But on days where pollution levels are higher, or for particularly vulnerable groups, air pollution can cause immediate effects like coughing and wheezing.
We have declared part of the city to be an air quality management area, and are taking steps to reduce air pollution.
On this page you can find our recent reports on air quality and our air quality data.
Non-technical report
Air quality in Exeter mainly meets government objectives, with concentrations showing long-term downward trends and just a small number of hot spots where levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are above government objectives. This document aims to summarise the monitoring undertaken by Exeter City Council and the city’s latest air pollution levels:
Annual Status Report
Every year the City Council produces a report which summarises the latest air pollution levels, and actions that are being taken in the city to reduce pollution. The reports for the last seven years are available to download below.
- Annual status report - 2023
- Annual status report - 2022
- Annual status report - 2021
- Annual status report - 2020
- Annual status report - 2019
- Annual status report - 2018
- Annual status report - 2017
- Annual status report - 2016
- Appendix D (relevant for years 2016 to 2019)
Appraisal reports
The Annual Status Report is sent to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to be checked. They issue an Appraisal Report which says whether the report meets the standards they expect and if any other work is required.
- 2023 Appraisal letter - 2023 Appraisal report
- 2022 Appraisal letter - 2022 Appraisal report
- 2021 Appraisal letter - 2021 Appraisal report
- 2020 Appraisal letter - 2020 Appraisal report
- 2019 Appraisal letter - 2019 Appraisal report
- 2018 Appraisal letter - 2018 Appraisal report
- 2017 Appraisal letter - 2017 Appraisal report
- 2016 Appraisal letter - 2016 Appraisal report
Air quality monitoring data
This map shows the locations of our air monitoring sites. Click on a site to see its name and annual average nitrogen dioxide concentration for 2021. See our detailed list of monitoring sites and results.
As well as this, some of our monitoring can be seen in real time.