On 17th July, Sevenoaks District Council commissioned a new monitoring site by Bat & Ball Road on the northern side of the town. The site - which measures PM10 particulate by BAM - is located in an industrial setting close to the entrance to Sevenoaks Quarry from which sand and gravel are currently extracted. As Bat and Ball Road provides the only vehicular access to the quarry, it experiences a considerable volume of free-flowing, relatively fast-moving HGV traffic throughout each working day. Accordingly, there is concern that passing HGVs may be resuspending deposited particulate matter from the road surface resulting in elevated levels of air pollution.

Indeed, the early measurements indicate that PM10 particulate concentrations by the entrance to the quarry are markedly higher than those being recorded at Sevenoaks’ long-running roadside monitoring site nearby at the junction of Otford Road and Bradbourne Vale Road. ‘Moderate’ levels of PM10 particulate were measured by the quarry on Monday 3rd August, and it’s likely that the combination of dry, warm weather over the preceding weekend and a strong breeze promoted the resuspension of deposited particulate matter once HGV traffic recommenced at the start of the working week.

The new Sevenoaks Quarry site will principally inform local air quality management. However, its commissioning and integration into the London Air Quality Network are of wider strategic significance as the measurements will greatly increase understanding of air pollution issues around industrial facilities.

Item date 05/08/2015