COUNCILLORS are calling for more to be done to reduce dangerous levels of air pollution in areas of Basingstoke and Deane.

The Basingstoke Transition Network (BTN) has found five areas of the borough had ‘illegal’ levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) particles in the air.

These areas include Thornycroft roundabout, Eastrop roundabout and Roman Road.

Now, councillors on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council (BDBC) have put a motion before full council for an action plan to be put in place.

Proposer of the motion and leader of the Basingstoke Labour group, Cllr Paul Harvey said: “We need to continue to make Basingstoke an amazing place to live, but if these levels continue to rise the air will be so unhealthy.

“We want the council to take this issue seriously and for the CEP Committee to consider the evidence gathered and working with the cabinet draw up an action plan.”

The survey carried out by the BTN also found that four further places in the borough were close to the maximum levels and as previously reported in The Gazette it is predicted that Basingstoke and Deane will have illegal levels of air pollution by 2019.

Martin Biermann of BTN said: “The results are worrying.

"We have made a series of recommendations to the council – but the main things we need to do are to reduce the number of car, bus and lorry journeys in our town and move to less polluting forms of transport as soon as possible.”

BDBC cabinet member for regulatory services and the environment Cllr Hayley Eachus said: “Good air quality is important to public wellbeing and we take our duty to review and assess air quality within our district very seriously.

"The Basingstoke Transition Network monitoring was only carried out for one month at roadside locations where reading will be higher. This type of monitoring should be carried out for a minimum period of six months and the air quality standards apply at locations where the public would be exposed for long periods of time, “However, we recognise there are areas that can be improved on. As a borough council we have no powers to implement changes.”

The motion is due to be debated at a full council meeting tonight.