UK towns with the worst air pollution unveiled - see full list

09 December 2023 , 09:53

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Air pollution poses serious risks to people's health (Image: Getty Images)

Pollution has devastating effects on people's health and is considered one of the world's largest environmental problems.

A recent fieldwork study has revealed Stoke-on-Trent has the worst air-polluted city centre in the country. Recordings taken at high streets in the 25 largest towns and cities in the county over a two-week period found that 76 per cent are exceeding the World Health Organisation's recommended annual level of air pollution - but other towns and cities had more than double this level, including Newcastle, Leicester, Coventry, Hull and Bradford.

At the other end of the scale, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Reading had the lowest air pollution, the study by GRIDSERVE found. Sam Clarke, chief vehicle officer at the tech-enabled sustainable energy business, said: "With millions set to hit the high street this festive period, we wanted to look at the state of the nation's air quality in the locations people will be doing most of their Christmas shopping.

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Stoke-on-Trent has the worst air-polluted city centre in the country (Getty Images)

"It's shocking to see that so many were above the World Health Organisation's annual recommendations for air pollution, and that one in 10 shoppers are even planning on foregoing the highstreets altogether due to air quality." The brand enlisted a planning consultancy to gather the samples using an air quality monitoring device at 11am on either a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday to ensure as much comparability as possible between the locations.

Researchers monitored the level of PM2.5 pollutants in the air, meaning particulate matter that is less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter. Separate readings were taken 200 metres apart on high streets, and samples were also taken in central parks and on an additional road with traffic present.

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The WHO’s recommendation, acknowledged by the Government's Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants, is that annual levels of PM2.5 should not exceed 5 micrograms per cubic meter air (µg/m3). Particulate matter (PM) is everything in the air that’s not gas and consists of many chemical compounds and materials.

Because of their small size, they can enter the bloodstream and cause illnesses such as asthma, heart disease and lung cancer. It comes after a poll, of 2,000 adults, found 36 per cent have concerns over the health of the local community due to air pollution, or the health of their family (26 per cent) or themselves (25 per cent).

A quarter (26 per cent) are trying to find greener ways to travel, while 12 per cent avoid shopping where there are lots of cars - or just forgo the high street in favour of online shopping (11 per cent). A similar amount (10 per cent) are going to do more of their Christmas shopping virtually this year to avoid high street air pollution.

Sam Clarke added: "If we're to reach the World Health Organisation's annual target of 5 µg/m3 of PM2.5 in our air, collectively we need to change our behaviours. With vehicle emissions being a key contributor, anything we can do to travel more greenly, from walking more to cycling, and including electric vehicles, is a very valuable set forward to improve the air we breathe daily."