A LARGE number of measures aimed at improving public health by slashing pollution are set to be rolled out across Southampton.
A new Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) sets out 60 schemes the city council intends to explore and implement over the next five years.
A report to tomorrow's cabinet meeting says more than six per cent of all deaths in the city are down to bad air.
Under the council's proposals lorries will be forced to stick to certain routes to reduce their impact on residential areas.
Park-and-ride services will be ramped up during key events and public transport will be subsidised on days when Saints are playing at home or a large number of cruise ships are visiting the port.
People travelling from one part of Southampton to another will be encouraged to take the train instead of going by road.
READ MORE: Southampton residents demand clean air zone due to high levels of pollution
Council chiefs are also planning to work with transport operators to ensure areas suffering from poor air quality are served by the most eco-friendly buses.
Other proposals include improving the layout of Shirley High Street in a bid to cut congestion.
Southampton is already the third most densely populated city in England and is set to grow, increasing the likelihood of pollution getting even worse.
Forecasts suggest that 42,000 new homes and 472,000m² of extra employment space will be needed by 2036.
The number of journeys made in the city each morning is expected to rise by 275,000 - an increase of ten per cent.
The cabinet report says: "As the city grows, journey times could increase further with one main corridor forecast to see an increase in peak journey times of 127%.
READ MORE: Air pollution caused 160 deaths in Southampton in just one year
"The Port of Southampton could be handling 95 per cent more cruise passengers, 63 per cent more containers and over 100 per cent more automotive exports. Southampton Airport has plans to double the number of passengers and flights by 2037."
Like other major cities Southampton already has high levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution in areas with the busiest and most congested roads.
According to Clean Air England, cutting Southampton's air pollution by a fifth would significantly reduce the number of people suffering from chest infections, heart disease, and lung cancer.
The council leader, Cllr Satvir Kaur, told the Daily Echo: "We know the lasting health damage poor air quality does to local people, particularly children.
"It is therefore vital that we continue to improve air quality and work towards becoming a greener city."
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