A lack of effort to reduce air pollution has led to some areas of Sheffield recording illegal levels – according to a Sheffield campaigner.

Graham Jones, 74, a volunteer for Burngreave Clean Air Campaign, believes that the council has prioritised the city centre instead of areas of high deprivation, which are at serious risk.

Mr Jones said: “High levels of air pollution due to high levels of traffic passing through our area is undoubtedly a factor in this public health emergency.

“In Burngreave the past seven years, our local air quality monitoring has shown no reduction in the levels of pollution on our streets which are regularly at illegal levels.

“I firmly believe that the council should take air pollution seriously again, and be doing more to improve our air quality and the health of children and adults.”

Burngreave Clean Air Campaign was set up in 2017 by people living in the area who were “horrified” by the high levels of pollutants.

The campaign aims to help people to take back control, by encouraging them to turn off their car engines when not moving, check their wood burners and use public transport.

Volunteers also carry out petitions on the streets to establish residents’ opinions on air pollution rates in the area.

Mr Jones said: “In Burngreave five of our local schools are in the 12 most polluted school locations in Sheffield.

“As local residents we think that our area has to be safe for our families to live in and is not just a through route for drivers.”

The World Health Organisation says air pollution from both outdoor and indoor sources represents the single largest environmental risk to health globally.

A nine-year-old girl who died following an asthma attack became the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed as a cause of death.

Mr Jones added: “Life expectancy in Burngreave Ward is ten years less than in some other parts of the city.”

An estimated 44,000 per year die as a result of air pollution in the UK alone and an estimated 500 per year in Sheffield.

According to the Association of Directors of Public Health, air pollution costs the UK around £20 billion each year due to health problems linked to poor air quality.

Sheffield Council has been contacted for a comment.