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Air quality in England is falling below agreed European Union levels, damaging health and shortening lives by an average of seven months. Inside Out East looks at the causes for this increase in air pollution and how local authorities are planning to deal with the issue.

The number of places where pollution exceeds limits in the country has risen in 10 years of air quality monitoring, with the East of England having more than 50 places that exceed these limits.

It is estimated that air pollution is linked to 24,000 early deaths every year in the UK (figures taken from The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution).

Many air pollution problems are caused by a combination of busy traffic and historic street planning – the "canyon" effect is typical of many towns in the UK, a narrow street with tall buildings close to the road. Polluted air is trapped in the canyon, leading to sometimes dangerously high levels of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter from vehicle exhausts.

Local authorities have responsibility to monitor and manage air quality, but the cause of the pollution is largely beyond their control.

Each local council is charged with maintaining air quality in its area, by assessing the levels every few years, with limits set by the European Union.

If the air pollution rises above these limits, the local authority is required to create an action plan on how to deal with it. If pollution is too high, the authority declares an "Air Quality Management Area".

An action plan is then generated to improve the air quality by encouraging use of bicycles and public transport, as well as creating pedestrian zones. However, though the councils have a duty to do their best, they do not have the power to solve pollution issues.

Inside Out East looked at the problem of air pollution in Bedford, which is typical of many towns in the region. To try to improve the air quality, Bedford Borough Council has just announced that the whole town centre is to be an air quality management area.

Dr Tim Chatterton, a senior research fellow with the air quality management resource centre at the University of the West of England, has studied air quality for ten years: "In the late 1990s, when the process of air quality management started, researchers believed that there might be half-a-dozen problem areas in the country, but now more than half our local authorities have identified air quality management areas."

He continues: "At first it was assumed that monitoring would reveal that motorways would have the worst pollution. It turns out that the problems are the narrow streets in our towns."

Removing the traffic is difficult for local authorities to achieve – unless a bypass is built – which requires funding and approval from central government.

The reason the limits are there in the first place is that there are health implications involved with the various pollutants recorded in towns across the country.

Two of the most common pollutants are nitrogen dioxide, which causes respiratory problems, and particulate matter, which cause cardiac and lung problems. Any reduction in these pollutants can improve health; however the only real solution seems to be the removal of all traffic from towns.

Inside Out East is on Monday 2 November 2009, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ One East, 7.30pm, and can also be viewed via Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ iPlayer.

Notes to Editors

All Air Quality Management Areas are listed at www.airquality.co.uk.

BG