Barnsley air pollution plan launched

Barnsley Council has published a new plan to deal with the town's air pollution problem.

According to the Yorkshire Post, proposals include the implementation of a specific travel plan for council employees, with such recommendations to be discussed this week at a local authority cabinet meeting.

The aim is to come up with a solution for air pollution hotspots in areas surrounding busy road junctions and factories, an investigation into which was recently ordered by the council's environment scrutiny commission.

A travel plan for council workers was created in 2007, but it is expected to be revised in light of low take up and promotion

"It is envisaged that a summary report and new travel plan will be submitted to the cabinet at the end of April 2010," officers said.

The action came as Kent News revealed the Kent and Medway Air Quality Monitoring Network was backing a new House of Commons committee report that suggested the UK should be "ashamed" of its air quality levels.

Written by Joseph Hutton