AN air quality management area is to be set up in York.

Residents and councillors in Fulford say exhaust fumes from vehicles mean air pollution in Main Street is now above the Government’s minimum standard.

Consequently, City of York Council is required to set up an air quality management area.

Residents were asked how big they wanted the area to be and the results showed 70 per cent of respondents backed the stretch along the length of Fulford Road and Main Street.

A legal process will now begin to designate the area, after which an action plan will be drawn up to help improve the air quality.

Coun Keith Aspden said: “Fulford’s conservation area will mean that there is limited scope for any fundamental changes to the road layout so we will have to think very carefully about what can be done to cut down on traffic such as cycling storage, road signage and measures to deal with HGVs.”