Air pollution at traffic hotspot must be investigated

A traffic hotspot in Birdlip, Gloucestershire, needs to be investigated for its levels of air pollution, an MEP is demanding.

The Liberal Democrat Euro MP for the south-west, Sir Graham Watson, is writing to the government about the matter. He is deeply concerned about the issue and has said that he hopes the matter will be taken "very seriously".

Public concern about the levels of nitrogen oxide (NO2) in the area off the A417 have been increasingly rising, and the unease came to a head when a Cotswold councillor asked what was to be done about the matter.

Sir Graham Watson was unaware of the issue until 2011, when Cotswold District Council led a public consultation into the issue.

Mr Watson is deeply disappointed by the reaction of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as it is yet to respond to the complaints.

He says he hopes it will “take these concerns very seriously and ensure something can be done to sort this out and tackle what is a major public health issue”.

A number of local residents have already begun to show signs of asthma, Mr Watson claims.

People living in Birdlip and the surrounding areas are understandably very concerned about the effects of pollution. The fear is affecting their daily life – with many unable to sit outside their houses due to traffic pollution.

The problem is not a new one, as four years ago Cotswold District Council attempted to tackle the predicament by enforcing an Air Quality Management Area Order. Even then the NO2 levels at the Air Balloon roundabout exceeded the recommended thresholds.

Despite an action plan being published in the 2011 consultation, the authority refuses to take full responsibility for the problem – claiming that it is not solely accountable for the management of the highway network.

Posted by Lauren Steadman