Traffic fumes are killing thousands every year

Published on Monday 14 April 2008 22:50

TRAFFIC pollution is contributing to thousands of deaths a year caused by pneumonia, research suggested yesterday.

A study, which looked at almost 390,000 deaths from pneumonia over eight years found that exhaust fumes were linked to more people dying from the condition.

The researcher, Professor George Knox said the annual death toll caused by air pollution was comparable to that caused by the London smog of 1952, which killed 4,000 people.

Environmental campaigners said the research highlighted the need to urgently address traffic congestion and pollution in Scotland and the UK as a whole.

The study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, gathered data on causes of death and atmospheric emissions in 352 local authority areas in England between 1996 and 2004.

Deaths from diseases such as pneumonia, peptic ulcer, heart disease and other conditions were found to be linked to levels of emissions in different areas, which varied widely. Prof Knox, from the University of Birmingham, said the main culprits were emissions linked to oil combustion, such as vehicle exhaust fumes.

Over the eight years of the study, there were 386,374 deaths from pneumonia. Prof Knox said the link between emissions and pneumonia deaths was "exceptional".

"Road transport was the chief source of the emissions responsible, although it was not possible to discriminate between the different chemical compounds," he said.

Research has found high levels of pollution in Scottish cities. A study revealed that central Glasgow suffered from the worst air pollution in the UK outside of London. Levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution, which has been linked to bronchitis and other lung conditions, were recorded well above safety levels in the city's Hope Street.

High levels of traffic and pollution were also cited as reasons for the rejected congestion charge plans for Edinburgh.

Stuart Hay, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said they had been highlighting the links between health and pollution. The organisation has been working with medical experts to outline their concerns at road projects such as the M74 extension between south Glasgow and south Lanarkshire.

"There has been research which says that people's health is affected if they live on either side of a busy road even more than previously thought. Our concern is that the M74 extension is going to have a big impact on people's health and it is going to be much bigger than expected."