Peterborough air pollution said to be within safe limits in spite of breaches across the country

An analysis of council reports carried out by Friends of the Earth found no sites in Peterborough where the average level of nitrogen dioxide exceeded 40 micrograms per cubic metre of air in 2018, the latest year for which data is available.

The average must be below 40 to meet government air quality targets, while World Health Organisation guidelines set this as a safe limit to protect public health.

The audit found levels of nitrogen dioxide at more than 1,000 monitoring sites across England are failing to meet air quality targets.

It warns that failing to fix air pollution costs lives, and shows a failure to address the climate crisis.

Across the East of England, 83 sites recorded annual averages that failed to meet air quality standards, three of which registered levels of more than 60 micrograms per cubic metre.

According to Friends of the Earth, road traffic is the leading cause of nitrogen dioxide pollution, which can inflame the lining of the lungs and reduce immunity to infections such as bronchitis.

Nationally, 1,360 sites failed to meet the 40 micrograms target in 2018.

Although this was down from 1,591 the previous year, Friends of the Earth said the figure was still shocking.

The group’s clean air campaigner Simon Bowens said: “Failing to fix air pollution costs lives. It also shows a failure to address the climate crisis.

“If ministers want to avoid a return to the health-damaging and illegal levels of air pollution we had before lockdown, their enthusiasm for ‘active travel’ needs to be a permanent switch and not just a short-term gap plugger.”

The Government recently announced plans to boost cycling and walking, including a pledge to build thousands of miles of bike lanes, which will be paid for by £2 billion of funding announced earlier this year. It has also launched a campaign encouraging people back on their bikes by offering £50 vouchers to get old bikes repaired or serviced.

But environmental campaigners have criticised the government’s separate commitment to invest £27 billion in roadbuilding over the next five years.

Mr Bowens added that the Government must “end its damaging fixation on building more roads”.

A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesman said: “Air pollution has reduced significantly since 2010 – emissions of nitrogen oxides have fallen by 33 per cent and are at their lowest level since records began.

“But we know there is more to do, which is why we are taking urgent action to curb the impact air pollution has on communities across England through the delivery of our £3.8 billion plan to clean up transport and tackle NO2 pollution.”