A SHOCKED traffic action group has hit out at Cherwell District Council for "ignoring" Bicester's air pollution problems, despite being labelled a healthy town.

BicesterTAG has said more needs to be done to tackle poor air quality in the town instead of making it worse with increased development.

It comes after Cherwell District Council declared North Street, Queen's Avenue and Kings End an area which exceeds the national air quality levels of Nitrogen Dioxide last year.

BicesterTAG (Traffic Action Group) has accused the council of not doing enough since and in response to previous air quality concerns, and said it should be a top priority for a healthy town.

The NHS dubbed Bicester a healthy town as part of a new scheme to introduce health into designs and development in 10 areas nationally.

Co-chairman Sallie Wright said: "BicesterTAG are shocked that such an important issue as residents' health in a town designated as a healthy town has been largely ignored by Cherwell District Council.

"Air pollution is estimated to cause 40,000-50,000 premature deaths in the UK each year and should be a top priority for our council.

"Instead we see our council worsening the situation by approving rapacious development and failing to adopt their own consultants recommendations to reduce the issue."

Latest figures released by Cherwell District Council found the national target maximum of 40 micrograms was exceeded in Kings End with an annual mean of 46mcg, in north Street 41.8mcg and Queens Avenue at 40.6mcg.

In the monthly break down this number did reach up to 66.7mcg in Kings End.

Online BicesterTAG writes "We are repeatedly told about Bicester being the UK's first Eco town: how we are a Garden Town and how our council are pushing a sustainable transport agenda.

"Yet in reality none of this is having any impact.

"The health of residents is being placed in danger and the council has done nothing practical about it."

BicesterTAG has said it is considering taking legal action against the council unless significant improvements are made.

The Kings End area was designated an air quality management area (AQMA) as a result of cars fumes causing a "pollutant of concern".

There are also three more AQMAs in Cherwell: one in Kidlington and two in Banbury in 2014.

Although the report does state as a whole the district trend is decreasing.

As yet none of these areas have an action plan - despite a suggested 12 to 18 month process - according to an update released by Cherwell District Council in June.

Suggestions put forward by the council for improving the air quality includes park and rides, route management for HGVs and low emission zones.

Cherwell District Council did not respond to requests for comment.

The council is currently putting together a report to tackle the excessive air pollution in Bicester and there will be a public consultation by the end of the year.

Chairwoman of Oxford Pedestrians’ Association Sushila Dhall said although there were high levels of air pollution in Oxford, the group would not consider legal action because of the cost of legal aid and the difficulty in proving the link between pollution and ill health.

She added: "This doesn't mean I am not in sympathy with the group, but one way forward could instead be a modal shift where people travel by other means such as public transport."