PARK and ride schemes could be one of the answers to solving Southampton’s air pollution crisis, the Daily Echo can reveal.

They are just one of a range of measures being considered so death rates can be brought down and the city can avoid being hit by a big fine from the European Union (EU).

A draft report put together by councillors says park and ride sites should be considered as part of a wider plan to improve the quality of the city’s air.

Traffic is considered the worst offender for causing pollution.

As revealed in the Daily Echo last year the city’s air quality is among the UK’s worst, although the number of deaths linked to pollution has dropped, from 6.3 per cent to 5.7 per cent.

It is estimated health problems caused by air pollution leave the NHS with a £50m bill each year for city residents.

Heavy good vehicles are the largest single contributor, providing 34.1 per cent of emissions according to the report followed by cars (23.9 per cent).

The World Health Organisation shamed the city as one of nine cities in the UK to breach its “safe level” for particulate matters (PMs), a measure of pollution.

Southampton could be open for a fine as a result – last year the EU started proceedings against the UK for a breach of nitrous oxide levels in 16 areas, including the city.

The Government’s Localism Act means that the city council, rather than the Government, could be required to pay all or part of the fine if it has not taken reasonable actions to improve air quality.

An inquiry into the causes of the pollution and what could be done was launched by a panel of city councillors last year, and they are now preparing their final report.

In their draft report the panel have put forward a number of ideas to solve the issue.

Among the options are reviewing the phasing of traffic lights and speed limits at “traffic hotspots” to reduce idling and improve flow.

Bids for Government funding are recommended and there is also a call to look at the potential for park and ride sites in the city, as well as re-surfacing cycle routes and working with transport operators to reduce the emissions caused by vehicles standing or sitting idle with their engines running.

Other recommendations include getting school children to plant hundreds of trees, encouraging the use of electric vehicles by offering two hours free parking in city centre streets, and offering extra training for drivers of council vehicles.

The draft report will be considered by the Air Quality Inquiry on Thursday (March 19) ahead of a final report being handed in later this year.

Panel chairman Christopher Hammond said: “I hope the council and our outside partners can come together and push air quality much higher up the agenda than it is currently because it’s obviously having a big detrimental impact on public health.”

Green Party MEP Keith Taylor, who has highlighted the issue before, said:

Keith Taylor Green MEP for South East England said: "I'm pleased that Southampton City Council are urging serious action on air pollution as the Government's attempts to completely ignore the issue hasn't offered any inspiration to local authorities.

"The proposals for action laid out in this new report are sensible and urgently needed. 

"Continuing to allow unchecked air pollution means sentencing children to poor respiratory health and earlier death so it is imperative that these actions are implemented urgently.

"I hope other councils across the South East will follow Southampton's lead in tackling this huge threat to public health."