A PROTEST against air pollution has been organised by clean-air campaigners.

The event on December 15 will see activists take to the streets to campaign against poor air quality.

Organisers say they will roll 110 orange balls down the steps of Southampton Civic Centre to represent the number of people who are reported to die every year because of air pollution.

Organiser John Spottiswoode said: “There are at least 110 people who die every year in Southampton – from a report by Public Health England (PHE) in 2014.

“But we estimate that it’s more like double that figure. It’s difficult to estimate but we think PHE is being a bit conservative.”

Campaigners will then go down to the Bargate where a group will be dressed in black to represent those who have lost their lives.

It takes place from 1pm to 2.30pm.

As previously reported, more than 9,000 residents took part in a 12-week consultation, and the city council has been told by central government to reduce its nitrogen dioxide amount to the EU-imposed level of below 40 micrograms per cubic metre of air by 2022.

It is currently at 42 micrograms.

The city council has suggested that a clean-air zone which charges commercial vehicles could be the answer.

If the chargeable zone is implemented, lorries, buses and coaches could all be billed up to £100 a day to enter the city.

A proposal was due to be sent to Westminster this month, but the plans were pushed back to the end of January, as councillors say they want to properly analyse all of the 9,299 responses to its 12-week consultation.

New Forest District Council will hand its proposals in on December 31, with Southampton following suit on January 31.

A protest ahead of the Saints Premier League clash with Chelsea took place on October 7, where a move by the TaxPayers’ Alliance saw campaigners pass a £100 cheque to the council, which symbolised the charge.