Help fight deadly air pollution plea

Leeds is one of five cities ordered by the Government to introduce a Clean Air Zone by 2020.

Leeds City Council said around 40,000 deaths in the UK each year are attributable to air pollution, equating to around 350 deaths per year in Leeds.

A council spokeswoman, said: “We as a council are doing our bit to tackle this issue by monitoring air quality across the city and implementing projects to reduce our emissions.

“The UK’s first ever National Clean Air Day is taking place on Thursday June 15 and Leeds is one of a number of cities taking part. We are encouraging people to pledge to leave their cars at home and get on the bus or train or walk or cycle into work.”

Coun Lucinda Yeadon, Leeds City Council executive board member with responsibility for sustainability and environment said: “Improving air quality presents a huge challenge for the city, but as a council we are fully committed to tackling this issue and are already working with partners to tackle and combat air pollution head on.

“To make a real difference it will take a city-wide effort to change pollution levels. Be that through small changes in the way we all travel, to bigger changes to areas such as transport and new developments in the city.

“National Clean Air Day provides us with the perfect start point to kick conversations and action off, but we have to remember that this is so much more than just one day of action. The changes we make need to be sustained and continued as we move forward to really address pollution levels in the city.”