AIR pollution levels in York are improving slowly but are still breaching air quality standards.

A report to be presented to City of York Council shows that air pollution levels in the city reduced in most areas between 2014 and 2015.

But while there is evidence of a steady downward trend in concentrations of nitrogen dioxide - a poisonous gas that can inflame airways and cause other serious health problems - the most recent data indicates the levels are still too high in locations around the inner ring road.

The report states: “Air pollution particularly affects the most vulnerable in society: children and older people, especially those with existing heart and lung conditions.

"Air pollution is recognised as a contributing factor in the onset of heart disease, strokes and cancer and has been linked to low birth weights and reduced IQ in children. The annual health cost to society of the impacts of particulate matter alone in the UK is estimated to be around £16 billion.”

The accepted limit for nitrogen dioxide readings is 40 microgrammes per cubic metre. In the long term, if you are exposed to levels above 40 cubic metres for the whole year it can affect your lung function and could decrease life expectancy.

The council has set up the air management areas where the health based national air quality objectives for nitrogen dioxide were being exceeded. They are in the city centre, in Fulford and along Salisbury Terrace in the Leeman Road area.

Readings in Gillygate, Holgate, Lawrence Street and George Hudson Street/Rougier Street, breached the limit, and while maximum readings in Nunnery Lane and Fishergate were 38 or 39 microgrammes per cubic metre it is possible the limit could be exceeded, the council said.

York Press:

It was a similar picture in Fulford Road with a reading of 37 microgrammes per cubic metre. Meanwhile, readings in Salisbury Terrace were 32 per cubic metre, which may therefore no longer need to be monitored. Typically traffic is responsible for around 50-70 per cent of the total nitrogen dioxide in York.

Last year The Press reported the areas with the highest readings of nitrogen dioxide. There was a reading of 65.3 mcg per cubic metre under the canopy at the train station, 55.2mcg in Gillygate and 54.7mcg at the Bridge St / Micklegate junction.

The report states that an Air Quality Action Plan from December 2015 planned how to cut emissions through new electric buses and converting seven per cent of the taxi fleet to low emission alternatives. There is also more work with the City Car Club, a pool of low-emissions cars.

York was awarded £816,000 from the Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) earlier this year. The money will be used to fund a city-wide network of hubs, providing ultra fast, reliable and convenient electric vehicle charging. The report is being submitted to Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for consideration.

Further work in 2016/17 includes an anti-idling campaign targeted at drivers, additional incentives for using low emission vehicles and alternative fuels, and more expansion of the charging network.

Cllr Andrew Waller, the council's executive member for the environment, said: “While this report is very encouraging, we must continue working to improve air quality levels at key locations... The policy is to target the vehicles which cause a disproportionate amount of air pollution, and to encourage a switch to electric or hybrid vehicles.”

He will consider the report at a meeting on September 5.