OXFORD has been ranked one of the worst cities for air quality in the country after consistently failing to meet pollution targets.

Dangerous levels of nitrogen dioxide caused by diesel vehicles are putting people at risk in hotspots across the city.

Figures show that emissions in Oxford have not been below the European Union target of 40 micrograms per cubic metre(ug/m3) of air since 2001.

Figures so far this year show an annual mean of 47ug/m3 in St Aldate’s – one of the city’s main bus routes and pollution monitoring sites.

GMB, the union which represents street cleaners, ranked the city in the top 18 worst polluted areas in the UK.

The announcement comes as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs [DEFRA] started a consultation to seek views on what local and national action can be taken to improve air quality.

Chairwoman of Oxford Pedestrians’ Association Sushila Dhall said: “It is really disturbing that this is not treated as an urgent problem. It has been known for many years and, despite changes to the buses, there has been no pressure on other drivers to do anything about their engines.

“This needs to be tackled and one way could be to create an exclusion zone.” Ms Dhall said the problem was made worse by drivers sitting stationary with their engines on, adding that one way to prevent congestion would be to close Hythe Bridge Street to through traffic.

She said: “If it became pedestrianised, it would mean people couldn’t nip through Oxford and that would reduce emissions.

“It would also make a nice entrance to the city for people arriving from the train station.”

DEFRA said it expects Oxford to be “fully compliant” by 2020 thanks to “planned measures coming into effect”.

Simon Hunt, chairman of cyclists’ lobby group Cyclox, said pollution had been a problem for years and called for the council to set up more monitoring stations.

He added: “It’s quite shocking how bad the air pollution is. It doesn’t just affect cyclists, it affects everybody.

“It costs quite a lot for a monitoring system, but having one in Headington, Cowley and at the Wolvercote roundabout would allow the city council to gather more information around the city, because those areas are jammed up.”

Mr Hunt also said stopping vehicles from travelling through High Street after 6.30pm could reduce nitrogen dioxide levels.

Oxford City Council leader Bob Price said pollution was a worldwide problem and that there needed to be more investment in technology.

City council board member for climate change John Tanner said the local authority would continue to look at other possibilities to reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions.

He added: “We have got to look at the concentration of buses in hotspots in St Aldate’s and St Clement’s. We need all-electric buses in those polluted areas.

“Air quality remains a concern. We are not shirking that fact and are tackling it head on.”

Mr Tanner said he would be receiving a report on the city’s air quality later this year, which would allow the council to decide best way to tackle pollution.

In 2013 the council agreed an air quality action plan and last year a ‘low emission zone’ was enforced in the city centre, requiring all bus services to operate low emission vehicles.

Oxford Mail:

  • Dangerous: Sushila Dhall, of Oxford Pedestrians’ Association, and Peter Thompson, of Oxford Civic Society, want more action taken to reduce air pollution in the city 

The zone means all buses in the city have to comply with European standards for levels of nitrogen. This has resulted in a switch from diesel to electric and hybrid engines.

Phil Southall, managing director of Oxford Bus Company, said: “Our current fleet is one of the greenest in the country.

“It’s not just buses that use the city centre roads and many [vehicles] are not subject to the same restraints as the bus industry.”

Managing director of Stagecoach Oxfordshire, Martin Sutton, said: “We have nearly replaced our entire Oxford city fleet in the past five years with buses that are up to the Euro 5 and 6 standard.

“We are trialling hydrogen buses in Aberdeen and gas buses in Sunderland, but they are very expensive. We have started running more double-decker buses to carry more people at one time to reduce the amount of buses we have on the road.”

ACTION TAKEN

Oxford City Council – which is responsible for monitoring air pollution – last year introduced a ‘low emission zone’ with the aim of improving air quality and reducing emissions in the city centre.

The policy meant buses had to be upgraded to meet Euro 5 standards for emissions – both Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach Oxford have since introduced greener buses.

Oxford’s low emission zone was only the second to be implemented in the UK outside of London.

As part of the scheme, which is due to run until 2030, people are encouraged to choose ‘greener’ travel options such as cycling, walking, car-sharing or travelling by bus.

The council has worked with Low Carbon Oxford and Oxfordshire County Council to promote travel plans with organisations across the city to encourage a “shift” in transport uses.

It has also rolled out eco-driving training for staff and worked with the districts councils and the county council to provide a joined-up approach to raise awareness and educate members of the public.