THREE more parts of Southampton have failed to meet government air pollution targets.

Town Quay, the junction of Romsey Road and Winchester Road, plus the Winchester Road, Hill Lane and The Avenue area are all being choked by traffic fumes.

They join Bitterne Road, Bevois Valley Road and Redbridge Road, which were already suffering from high levels of nitrogen dioxide, as revealed by the Daily Echo last summer.

City council chiefs are now drawing up plans to encourage people out of their cars and on to public transport in a bid to cut pollution in these six danger areas.

They are to be declared air quality management areas by council bosses.

Nitrogen dioxide can trigger respiratory problems, especially in children and people with lung problems such as asthma.

As revealed in the Daily Echo last August, air pollution rose by more than 300 per cent in Southampton last year.

Research suggests that air pollution in the UK brings forward the deaths of between 12,000 and 24,000 people each year. The elderly and those with lung disease are most at risk.

The six city areas were identified nearly a year ago as cause for concern and Rob Crighton, sustainability officer at the city council, said following a series of tests it had been recognised the areas will not meet national standards for nitrogen dioxide emissions.

"I wouldn't say this was getting worse since last year, but what we've done since then is a review and assessment of air quality," he said.

Traffic levels on roads are constantly rising and hotter summers, with less wind, result in poorer fume dispersal.

Mr Crighton said new technology was making cars more environmentally friendly and this would automatically help cut pollution.

He added: "The first thing to do is to get good public transport access for everybody, then we can think about changing people's travelling habits. This is not something that's going to happen overnight."

The action plan will involve consultation exercises and Mr Crighton said it would be drawn up over 18 months.

"This is a city wide issue and most of the pollution in these areas doesn't arise from those living there, it's the people going to and from these areas," he added.

Other areas in Hampshire hit by pollution include Winchester city centre, Lyndhurst High Street and Leigh Road in Eastleigh.