The UK Industrial Strategy outlines substantial Place and Infrastructure (transport) investments in support of economic growth, alongside a commitment to improve air quality. Provision of a robust and appropriate evidence base to inform these is essential to ensure decisions maximise desired outcomes and in this clean growth. 

Currently economic modelling used to inform WMCA decision making includes a proxy measure of air pollution. WM–Air will develop an alternative approach that explicitly incorporates direct and indirect measures of the impacts of air quality on economic activity, providing socio economic analysis of the impacts of air pollution on the economy of the West midlands.  This will develop the case for including air quality as a key element of economic policy and planning