A leading Dundee councillor has called for more to be done to improve air quality around one of the city’s busiest roads.
Liberal Democrat West End councillor Fraser Macpherson has been told work is underway to reduce emissions from traffic on Lochee Road.
But he says more more must be done to improve air quality on the stretch, which has been identified by Friends of the Earth Scotland as one of the most polluted streets in Dundee.
Other areas of Dundee, including Meadowside and Seagate, have notoriously bad pollution levels.
Dundee City Council’s head of community safety and protection Tom Stirling has written to Mr Macpherson about the work Dundee City Council has undertaken so far to address the high levels of pollution but admitted more needs to be done.
In his letter to the councillor, Mr Stirling said: “The traffic management arrangements with the existing layout of Lochee Road have been optimised and this with improved and improving engine technologies will see a reduction in emissions.
“Caution must be exercised with any significant changes to side road route restrictions so as not to cause new congestion or pollution areas.”
Mr Stirling said most of the pollutants in the atmosphere come from car engines and even introducing the most-environmentally friendly buses would mean emissions targets being breached.
Mr Macpherson said: “Back in June, I called on Dundee City Council to consider the possible introduction of low emission zones to properly tackle air quality worries in the city and the committee decision following this to take this forward is welcome.
“However, detailed work tackling the specific issues at particular streets with air quality issues, like Lochee Road, is vital.
“Actions speak louder than words and we do need to see momentum to achieve a proper and lasting solution. Residents deserve to breathe clean air in every street in Dundee.”
Mr Macpherson added: “It is vital there is a proactive approach to tackling the air quality issue. I have raised this on numerous occasions with the council in the past and we need to see a situation where no Dundee streets have unacceptable air quality.
“A significant number of constituents live in the tenement flats on the south side of Lochee Road near to the junction where nitrogen dioxide are unacceptably high. It is therefore important that the council has a clear strategy for improving air quality here.”
