Air quality in Edinburgh 'worse than reports show'

The air quality in Edinburgh has come under question after campaigners said it is worse than reports suggest.

According to the Guardian, campaigners have said Edinburgh City Council has put monitoring equipment in the wrong place, which suggests the pollution is not as bad as it is.

Dr Ashley Lloyd, one of the campaigners, stated that the local authority has positioned the diffusion tubes too far away from the traffic and their levels could be 40 per cent below true air pollution figures.

He told the newspaper: "I don't understand how this mistake was made. This mistake shouldn't have occurred under any circumstances."

The findings from the investigation were given to pollution expert Professor Duncan Laxen from the West of England University who advises the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

A spokesman for the local authority confirmed it will continue to work with Defra to ensure the public health of residents by maintaining good air quality in the city.

Edinburgh is currently an Air Quality Management Area for its high levels of nitrogen dioxide.

Posted by Claire Manning