Fewer areas in the city of Exeter now have high nitrogen dioxide levels than in previous years, according to the council’s Local Air Quality Management Report-which explains progress made last year.

The report shows long term trend in nitrogen dioxide levels in the city is down, woith only four areas now exceeding limits.

Exeter City Council has been working with Devon County Council to implement an air quality action plan, reduce car use and reduce the impact of poor air quality on health.

Leader of the council Cllr Phil Bialyk added: “I am proud of the actions we have taken and we are doing what we can to try and mitigate a lot of this and give reasonable alternatives, and if we carry on, we will make the change and the impact.”

He outlined 15 actions that Exeter City Council had taken and completed in their action plan, which includes; a Physical Activity Strategy which aims at increased cycling and promoting active travel in everyday life, the development for a radical active travel policy to be co-designed with staff, commencement of work on a scheme for battery storage linked to extended council solar panels which would be able to power electric refuse vehicles. It also includes; work on the new bus station continued, which will provide improved facilities for public transport users, as well as the roll out of 60 new e-bikes to upgrade the  on-street cycle hire scheme and completion of the plans for a further 40 in 2020.