LAST week I called for Gillygate to be part-pedestrianised to help attract more footfall to independent businesses (The Press, July 15).

Naturally, some people are concerned about closing a main route to private vehicles, but something has to be done to address the severe air pollution in the street.

Each year in the UK, air pollution causes 29,000 deaths and contributes to more than 200,000 premature deaths, yet public awareness of this killer is very low. York’s share of this tragedy is estimated to be 156 people dying an early death each year.

The Government is failing to implement legally binding levels on air quality. In 2009, the EU started legal action against the UK for breaching safe levels, but the Government was granted more time to meet the deadline.

The Government has indicated that safe levels may not be achieved in many areas. York suffers a number of pollution hot-spots and Gillygate is one of the worst.

I know that some motorists will be inconvenienced by part-pedestrianisation, but better for some to suffer a longer journey than to die early of lung disease brought about by air pollution.

Dave Taylor, Green Party councillor for Fishergate, Heritage champion for the city of York.