Scottish streets 'experiencing poor air quality'

ome areas of Scotland could end up breaking air quality limits this year, according to an environmental group. Friends of the Earth (FoE) has revealed that air pollution on many streets across Scotland is rising at such a rate it will exceed limits by the end of the year.

Data from FoE follows on from predictions released by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which suggested that Scotland will fail to meet air quality limits for more than a decade. The country is not likely to make a big enough dent in emissions to conform to regulations until 2020, despite the EU targets stating nitrogen dioxide must be reduced by 2010.

Some areas of Scotland are expected to take even longer to bring their air within the targets, such as Glasgow, which is not likely to meet with the limits until 2025. 

The FoE data comes from an analysis of government data that was collected between January and July. It discovered that many of Scotland's streets have levels of air pollution that are breaking the law and putting public health at risk. The most polluted street, according to the report, is Glasgow Hope Street.

Emilia Hanna, FoE campaigner, said: "A number of busy streets are recording high levels of pollution and are on track to break legal limits for 2014.

“It is disappointing to see continued high levels, especially because Scotland and the UK have been called up by European Courts for its slow progress on cleaning up the air.

“The health impacts of air pollution are clear, the government’s strategy is not. For the sake of people’s lives and wellbeing, air pollution needs to be tackled as an urgent priority. We cannot afford to wait any longer.”

FoE is now calling on the government to do more to tackle the continued high levels of air pollution being experienced across the UK as a whole. It has suggested that a greater investment in traffic reducing measures and green transport could help to improve the air in many areas.