ELECTRIC vehicle use is to be promoted in Southampton as part of a drive to improve air quality.

Thursday is National Clean Air Day and with the city regularly being shamed in air pollution league tables, council officials hope the event will help educate residents about the dangers.

There will be an electric vehicle showcase in the city’s historic Bargate from 10am until 4pm, giving the public an opportunity to speak to manufacturers and electric vehicle owners.

One of six focus cities, Southampton City Council is supporting the event which is being organised by pollution charity Global Action Plan.

The city is regularly included in lists of the most-polluted cities in the UK by the World Health Organisation, with Southampton recording the highest percentage of adult deaths in the south east in 2011 because of air pollution.

The event comes after the Daily Echo launched its Breathe Easy campaign which hopes to shine a spotlight on the environmental issues facing the city.

Across the country, schools, workplaces, hospitals and communities will be holding events, hoping to inspire people to think about how they can improve the air quality in their cities.

Mitch Sanders, service director for universal services and the council, said: “It’s important that we use opportunities like this to highlight the problem and get people involved in tackling it.

“Reducing emissions and improving our air quality now will have lifelong, lasting benefits for the city’s population and make it a more attractive place to work, live, visit and do business.

“This can only be achieved if everyone takes some personal responsibility for the changes needed. We hope this campaign will help to achieve that.”

Clean Air Southampton has stressed the importance of the day and the impact it could have in the city.

A statement from the anti-pollution group said: “This is a chance to find out about how to protect ourselves from air pollution, try out new ways of getting around – like electric cars and cargo bikes – and to make a pledge to change something to clean up our air – like walking to school one day a week.”

For more information email victoria.doyle@hants.gov.uk or visit cleanairday.org.uk and southampton.gov.uk.