RESIDENTS are calling for further measures to improve air quality outside a school in York’s Fishergate area, where they say pollution exceeds new World Health Organisation guidelines.

The residents, who are Labour party members, said data from a roadside monitoring station outside Fishergate School made it possible to assess pollution, and showed levels of nitrogen dioxide were more than double recommended levels.

They said a London coroner had concluded in 2020 that a nine-year old girl had died of asthma contributed to by exposure to excessive air pollution.

One resident, Katherine Crocker, said City of York Council was currently updating its Air Quality Action Plan, and a strategy was needed to reduce traffic near schools and residential streets.

"We should say no to the multi-storey car park at St George’s Field, which would continue the high flow of traffic through our streets, and we should support more electric bus Park and Ride travel for those coming into our city," she said.

Another resident, Sarah Wilson, said an air pollution warning, issued in March to advise York residents with lung or heart problems to reduce exercise or physical exertion outside, was a stark reminder of the problem's seriousness.

A third, Kate Ravilious, said: “If York can sustain some of the improvements brought about by the reduced vehicle traffic, and increased walking and cycling levels that arose during lockdown, there may be an opportunity to improve air quality beyond that previously thought possible."

Cllr Paula Widdowson, Lib Dem executive member for environment and climate change, said recently introduced World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines were significantly more stringent that current UK Air Quality Objectives and did not currently apply in UK law.

"Whilst monitoring of air quality in the Fishergate area has not indicated any breaches of the current Air Quality Objectives for any pollutant over the last five years, concentrations of some pollutants monitored in York are above the new considerably tightened WHO guidelines, similarly to many areas across the country," she said.

"Air quality has notably continued to improve over the last decade in York and we are committed to reducing concentrations of all pollutants across York, including nitrogen dioxide and particulates, to help improve air quality for the benefit of our communities and generations to come."

She said the latest Air Quality Action Plan would include various measures and, to comply with a Clean Air Zone introduced by the council, Park and Ride Service buses through Fishergate had been electric since 2020, removing around 12 diesel buses per hour.

She said promoting active travel encouraged people to shift from motor vehicles towards less polluting alternatives such as walking and cycling, and the authority currently had such a project in the Fishergate area.