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CLEAN AIR
Smoke Control Areas
Satisfactory progress was made during the year in the Council's aim to rid the Borough of coal
smoke nuisance by 1976 at the latest: details are shown in Table A on page 50. It is important that
this pace be maintained in the years to come.
Prices of smokeless appliances and costs of works of installation are increasing. The Gas and
Electricity Boards and the solid fuel heating organisations are conducting intensive campaigns
in smoke control areas and this means that more people are applying for grants. Many of course
take advantage of the grant as a substantial down payment for modernising their space heating
arrangements and pay the additional cost themselves. This all means that the cost of creating
smoke control areas is bound to rise. But, the saving in tangible ways, less damage to building
and other materials, less cleaning, more efficient use of national fuel resources, not to mention
improvement of amenity and in community health, makes the whole operation economic in all
senses of the word. Bearing in mind the steadily increasing cost it would even seem sensible
actually to increase the pace of making smoke control areas and get the job done as quickly as
possible! The map on page 51 shows the area of the Borough under smoke control and also
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