City given grant boost to improve air quality

ONE of the biggest grants in the country has been awarded to York Council to try to improve air quality after pollution in the city was blamed for scores of deaths every year.

The council has been handed more than 70,000 from the Government – the fifth highest grant allocation of any local authority – to tackle the air pollution problem.

The Yorkshire Post revealed in June that pollution had been linked to an estimated 158 premature deaths in York every year.

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Official figures also revealed the city's average levels of dangerous nitrogen dioxide during 2009 exceeded targets set by both the council and the Government and stood at their highest point for seven years.

York Council's executive member for neighbourhood services, Ann Reid, will decide next week how to allocate the 72,750 in funding from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

A series of pollution blackspots has been identified on the city's congested roads network, as car fumes from traffic tailbacks have contributed to the nitrogen dioxide levels.

The main road through Fulford was declared an air quality management area in April as a result of increasing levels of pollution on Fulford Main Street.

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The council now has until April of next year to produce an air quality action plan that will involve a series of measures to tackle pollution in the area.

Coun Reid will decide on Tuesday next week how the Government funding will be spent developing the air quality action plan for Fulford.

Extra funding of 20,000 has also been awarded to support York's role as regional low emission champions.

The additional cash could help promote the use of low emission vehicles in York and improve links to the region-wide Plugged In Places bid for more than 700 electric vehicle recharge points.