³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

More than 1,300 places across England are breaching air quality limits, according to environmental group Friends of the Earth.

The group's research is an improvement on last year's audit of government data, with 300 fewer sites breaching the limit.

A spokesperson for the government said, "Air pollution has reduced significantly since 2010 - emissions of nitrogen oxides have fallen by 33% and are at their lowest level since records began."

"We know there is more to do," they added, explaining, "we are taking urgent action to curb the impact air pollution has on communities across England through the delivery of our £3.8 billion plan to clean up transport."

Friends of the Earth says 1,360 monitoring sites across the country exceeded the annual average air quality target for nitrogen dioxide in 2018, the most recent year for which nitrogen dioxide data is available.

A monitoring site tracks air quality, and the government's Environment Agency put 300 of them across the UK. The sites gather particular kinds of information using different kinds of methods.Nitrogen dioxide is a pollutant that mostly comes from traffic fumes and, along with other pollution such as particulate matter, is linked to health issues.

The 10 sites with the highest annual average nitrogen dioxide levels according to the Friends of the Earth analysis are:

- Chideock Hill, West Dorset - Station Taxi Rank, Sheffield - North Street Clock Tower, Brighton - Neville Street Tunnel, Leeds - Strand, City of Westminster - Walbrook Wharf, City of London - Hickleton opp Fir Tree Close, Doncaster - Marylebone Road, City of Westminster - Euston Road, London Borough of Camden - Hickleton, John O'Gaunts, Doncaster

A spokesperson from Friends of the Earth said the government needs to do more to take polluting vehicles off the road and encourage walking and cycling.