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an all-round set-back, due entirely, in my opinion, to the
abnormal meteorological conditions during the year.
The amount of pollution is directly proportional, in a
given area, to the amount of fuel burned in that area and the
amount of fuel burned is directly related to the atmospheric
temperature; the lower the temperature and the more fuel, of
all kinds, is burned. According to information supplied by the
Meteorological Office, every month in 1962, except January and
February, was colder than the average for the past 10 years and
considerably colder than the corresponding month of 1961. Further,
dense fog always has a disastrous effect on pollution
figures and December saw the worst fog for 10 years.
Under these circumstances therefore it is not surprising
that the pollution figures last year were worse than 1961; they
were, however, better than i960 or any previous year.
A report was received from the Department of Scientific
and Industrial Research on the special investigation mentioned
last year into pollution in the Bath Road area a£ measured at
the William Byrd School. The following extracts give the main
points of the report
"The two temporary sites had the same amount of smoke from
both north and south, while the school had less smoke from the
north, but from the south the same amount as at the other two
sites. During north winds therefore a small additional source
of smoke was affecting the two temporary sites which did not
affect the school; this could only have been the Bath Road and
the few houses beside the road at this point. During south
winds this same source or sources must have affected the school;
any smoke from the airport might have affected all three sites,
but would chiefly affect the temporary ones. There was no difference
in the average smoke values at the three sites during
south winds, which suggests that any contribution from the airport
was small, and of about the same order as that from the
road and half-dozen or so houses."
"The temporary site close to the Bath Road had more sulphur
dioxide at all times than had either the school or the second
temporary site farther south-west. This indicates that there
was a local source of sulphur dioxide lying to the east of all
three sites, but nearer to the middle site than to either of
the others. The presumption is that the large factory nearby
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