AN ACTION plan to clear poisonous fumes out of York's pollution hotspots is being drawn up this week.

Panels made up of residents, business representatives and other city people will take part in workshops designed to find ways of improving air quality.

It follows the discovery that levels of nitrogen dioxide are close to breaching legal limits in Gillygate and Bootham, Holgate Road, Foss Islands Road and Prices Lane, which joins Nunnery Lane.

The gas is released from vehicle engines and can cause problems for people suffering respiratory illness.

Councillor Derek Smallwood, City of York Council's executive member for planning and the environment, said: "Although air quality in York is generally good, we need to make improvements so that we will meet the Government guidelines."

The workshops will be attended by experts from the University of the West of England air quality management resource centre, who have advised the Government in the past.

Air quality in York is known to be poor because of the lack of a purpose-built inner ring road, and the narrow streets which stop pollution dispersing.

A council spokesman said: "The canyon-like nature of some of the streets prevents the efficient dispersion of pollutants, resulting in a build-up in concentrations over a period of time.

"There are a large number of junctions which result in queues of standing traffic throughout much of the day."

But he added: "It should not be taken that York is grossly-polluted. Far from it. Air quality throughout the city, in general, is very good."

Possible options already proposed to clean the city's air include setting up a traffic light system which could recognise where pollution levels have built up and direct traffic away from those areas.

Anybody wanting to take part in the workshops is asked to contact Zoe Burns on 01904 551529.

Updated: 08:37 Tuesday, July 30, 2002