Lib Dems Call for Action as Bedford's Air Quality Problems Grow

3.31.59pm GMT Fri 16th Feb 2007

Michael Headley surveys traffic on Prebend Street, one of Bedford's air quality hotspots

Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats have reacted with grave concern to the news that air quality hotspots are spreading beyond those previously identified. Nitrogen Dioxide levels on an increasing number of roads in the town centre are exceeding government targets for air quality. Meanwhile, excessively high levels of this pollutant are also present at suburban sites such as Goldington Road and Ampthill Road.

Due to high levels of this pollutant identified in previous studies, the Borough Council has already established 'Air Quality Management Areas' at sites in Great Barford and in Bedford on Prebend Street and the High Street. The latest air quality figures show that roads surrounding these town centre sites are also experiencing deteriorating levels of air quality with nitrogen dioxide levels spiraling well above government targets. These roads include River Street, the Broadway, Shakespeare Road, Dame Alice Street and Ashburnham Road.

Commenting on the issue, Liberal Democrat Borough Group Leader Cllr Michael Headley said:

"The figures revealed in this report are deeply worrying. It is clear that the problem of deteriorating air quality is spreading across an ever-larger area of the Town Centre. The Council should investigate the possibility of designating the entire Town Centre area as an Air Quality Management Area in order to ensure an effective, co-ordinated response to this problem.

Just as worrying is the evidence that suburban sites on Goldington Road and Ampthill Road are suffering from alarmingly high levels of nitrogen dioxide. This pollutant, which in high concentrations can cause inflammation of the lungs and can exacerbate serious respiratory problems, is not only a problem in the Town Centre and action must be taken by all the relevant authorities to reverse this disturbing trend.