THE FIGHT against 'frightening' air pollution in Oxford has ramped up.

Two groups are now working on ideas to bolster the proposed Zero-Emissions Zone announced earlier this month.

It follows a revelation yesterday that the city is breaching World Health Organisation limits for tiny sooty particles in the air caused by cars.

The WHO says the level of particles smaller than 2.5 microns, which are linked to heart disease, Alzheimer's, and premature death, should not exceed 10 micrograms per cubic metre of air, but in Oxford it found the level to be at 14.

Green MEP for the South East Keith Taylor slammed Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council for letting the particulates breach the limit, as he set up his own group to tackle the problem.

He said: "What is most stark about today's shocking particulate matter pollution figures is that these findings are in addition to the widespread and illegal levels of Nitrogen Dioxide pollution in our towns and cities.

"The last Public Health England report in 2014 linked particulate matter pollution to the premature deaths of more than 4,000 people in the South East.

"This report makes it clear that a lack of local and national action has seen the problem worsen in the intervening years.

"It's unacceptable that people across the region are breathing in a daily cocktail of deadly air pollutants."

Mr Taylor last night hosted a meeting at Oxford Town Hall with city councillors and clean air campaigners to come up with new solutions to the 'public health emergency'.

The city and county councils earlier this month announced their proposals for a city centre Zero-Emissions Zone (ZEZ), which would cutt levels of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) – which is linked to breathing problems and cancer – and the particulate pollution the WHO is concerned about.

This week the councils announced an extra working group to cut NO2 in Oxford's most-polluted street, St Clements, which would not be covered by the ZEZ.

In 2016 the average NO2 level in St Clement’s Street in 2016 was 61µg/m3 – 152.5 per cent of the European Union legal limit of 40µg/m3.

In order to reduce the near-constant traffic queues in the street which pump out a fog of dangerous NO2 and other gasses, it is understood the group could look at removing the public car park on the road or removing bus stops which naturally increase congestion.

City council board member for environment John Tanner commented: "The ZEZ will be a step change in tackling air pollution in Oxford but there is a particular problem in St Clement’s because it is so narrow with high buildings and is used by a large volume of traffic.

"We need to bring pollution levels there below the safe and legal limit as soon as possible to safeguard everyone’s health."

Oxfordshire County Council is also looking at the possibility of creating a congestion charge and/ or workplace parking charge aimed at reducing traffic and congestion in the city.

In Oxford, the city council has a legal duty to monitor and report on air pollution, but it is county as transport authority that has the power to institute changes to road rules.

The councils' six-week consultation on its ZEZ proposals closes on Sunday, November 26. Go to oxford.gov.uk/zez