Toxic air in West Yorkshire making patients ill, warns GP 

A West Yorkshire GP has raised alarm bells over the lack of action around West Yorkshire’s toxic air over claims hundreds of thousands of residents are exposed to high levels of air pollution above the World Health Organization guidelines.
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Published 11th Apr 2024, 16:43 BST
Katherine HickmanKatherine Hickman
Katherine Hickman

Along with leading lung charity Asthma + Lung UK, Katherine Hickman is encouraging residents to join her at the hustings event taking place on Tuesday, April 16, at Leeds University, in the Newlyn Building to call for urgent action.   

Katherine Hickman, respiratory lead for the region, sees first-hand the impact poor air quality has on her patients’ breathing; including shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing. Many of them live near busy roads where air pollution levels are higher and she said without a proper plan in place to improve air quality across the region, public health will continue to suffer.  

 

Despite some progress, including the establishment of a clean air zone in Bradford, targeted action to tackle toxic pollution across West Yorkshire seems to have stalled. There has been no overarching plan for the region since 2021. 

 

Asthma + Lung UK says there are around 800,000 people living in highly polluted areas.Asthma + Lung UK says there are around 800,000 people living in highly polluted areas.
Asthma + Lung UK says there are around 800,000 people living in highly polluted areas.

Asthma + Lung UK says there are around 800,000 people living in highly polluted areas, including 200,000 people with lung conditions and 56,000 children under the age of six. Breathing in pollution increases the risk of lung cancer and early death, and for people with lung conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pollution can trigger life-threatening exacerbations even from short-term exposure.   

 

Katherine Hickman, respiratory lead for West Yorkshire, said: “Residents deserve to breathe clean air with healthy lungs. As a GP, I see first-hand the struggles my patients face. A lot of people can’t afford to up sticks and move somewhere less polluted. Many patients live near busy roads and if you already have a lung condition, that’s going to make breathing even harder. We need to protect the health of our communities and tackling toxic air is key if we want to keep people well.” 

 

Asthma + Lung UK is organising a hustings event in Leeds on April 16, where mayoral candidates will discuss their plans to combat air pollution. This event offers a crucial opportunity for candidates to address the urgent need for action and commitment to protecting public health. If you would like to attend, please reserve a spot here. 

 

The charity wars that tackling toxic air across the region needs to be a priority for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the new Mayor.  It said the new Mayor must not shy away from ambitious solutions, and the action needed to protect people’s right to breathe.

Related topics:West Yorkshireair qualityAir pollution