The PM2.5, \{PMcoarse\} and black smoke (BS) particle metrics broadly reflect different source contributions to PM10. The aim of this study was to generate data for PM2.5 at an urban background site in the UK, and to use the daily collocated measurement of PM2.5, \{PM10\} (and hence PMcoarse) and \{BS\} to yield insight into source influences on particulate matter for input to developing \{PM\} air quality policy. Mean daily PM10, PM2.5 and \{BS\} for a year of measurement in Edinburgh were 15.5, 8.5 and 6.6 ??g m???3. The PM2.5 data were well-within possible future limit values proposed by the European Commission Clean Air For Europe programme. Daily PM2.5 and \{PM10\} were significantly correlated ( r 2 = 0.75 ) with PM2.5 contributing 54%, on average, to PM10. The daily BS:PM10 and BS:PM2.5 ratios were more variable, and significantly lower in summer than in winter, reflecting the greater contribution of non-black photochemical secondary particles to \{PM10\} in summer. Analysis with respect to wind showed a dominant influence of dispersion on \{BS\} and PM2.5 but both dispersion and a wind-driven suspension influence on PMcoarse. The latter was higher than in central England (averaging about one-third of the PMcoarse), and greater for on-shore wind direction, suggesting a sea-salt source for this component in addition to other particle resuspension contributions. Overall, the data showed that excursions in \{PM10\} were driven more by variations in PM2.5 than by \{PMcoarse\} or BS. Both PM2.5 and its proportion to \{PM10\} were significantly elevated for air-masses passing over continental Europe and the British Isles, whereas \{BS\} varied less with air-mass origin, supporting the conclusion that concentrations of particulate matter, particularly of finer PM, are strongly influenced by regional scale synoptic meteorology (presumed to be predominantly secondary PM), whereas \{BS\} is dominated more by local sources. Comparison of \{BS\} with a nearby rural site suggested that approximately three-quarters, on average, of the urban \{BS\} was local in origin.