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Strategy launched to tackle poor air quality
15/06/2023
Lung and heart disease and mental health and brain conditions can develop from exposure to poor quality air
Today is Clean Air Day – the day Oxfordshire County Council has launched its strategy to tackle poor air quality.
In Oxfordshire in 2021, it was estimated that air pollution’s effect on mortality was equivalent to 320 early deaths. People who breathe polluted air are more likely to develop long term lung and heart disease as well as mental health and brain conditions such as dementia.
The air quality strategy prioritises three approaches: reducing emissions of outdoor and indoor air pollution, extending our distance from pollution sources, and protecting the people most at risk.
Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Air quality has been improving across Oxfordshire in recent decades. However, levels remain above the World Health Organisation (WHO) standards in many places. It is critical that we work to improve air quality to deliver the council’s priorities, particularly prioritising the health and wellbeing of residents.
“We want to do everything within our power to clean up the air in Oxfordshire. Our vision is to accelerate the improvement in Oxfordshire’s air quality to reduce the health and environmental impacts of dirty air, so ensuring that all residents can breathe safely.
“By burning less fuel through changing how we travel, heat our homes and the things we buy, we can create environments that are better for our mental wellbeing, health, nature and our climate too.”
Transport is a key driver of air pollution. The council’s local transport and connectivity plan includes targets to reduce car journeys by a third by 2040 and increase the number of cycling trips from 600,000 to one million by 2031. The Council says this will be key to improving air quality.
Making the strategy a success will involve partnership work with the county’s district and city councils.
Andrew McHugh, Cherwell District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Cleaner and Greener Communities, said: “The health risks of poor air quality should not be underestimated. We are responsible for monitoring air pollution in north Oxfordshire but it’s only right that local authorities should work together to agree objectives and deliver against them for our residents.
“The announcement of a countywide strategy is a welcome one and one which we will be working to support.”
The worst polluted areas in Banbury are Hennef Way, Horsefair and North Bar, which all exceed national pollution targets.
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam