Air pollution in Colchester town centre is breaking three World Health Organisation limits.

The report comes from the Central Office of Public Interest, with the website providing every UK address with the most accurate air pollution data available.

Colchester town centre was found to be in the 71st national percentile, with the smaller percentiles being the least polluted areas and the higher being the most polluted areas in England.

The town centre was found to break three World Health Organisation limits on specific pollutants, including PM2.5, where Colchester had 11.36mcg/m3, when the the WHO limit is 5mcg/m3.

Prolonged exposure to PM2.5 can cause asthma, strain lung functions and promote cancer.

Colchester also had 18.08mcg/m3 of pollutant PM10, the limit is 15mcg/m3.

Prolonged exposure to PM10 can increase cardiovascular mortality.

The town centre was also found to have 17.67mcg/m3 of N02, the limit is 10mcg/m3.
Exposure (for a year or more) to 30mcg leads to a 5.5 per cent increased risk of disease related mortality.

The website provides the most accurate air pollution data available for every UK address.

The information is pulled from a model created by Imperial College London.

The Central Office of Public Interest sourced and mapped real world pollution levels at more than 19,500 council monitors in major towns and cities across the UK.

The scientists at Imperial College London then calibrated the data to real world levels, generating what they call, ‘the most detailed and accurate national model ever created.’

Mark Goacher, Green Party candidate for Colchester said: “It's absolutely appalling - we can’t continue to ignore the problem.

"We need to reduce the number of short journeys that people are using their car for and improve public transport.

"Cycle lanes are important, too, but the key thing is improving public transport.

“There’s probably over 140 deaths per year exacerbated by these air pollutants, according to data I have read.

"It's not good enough to write off people who live in places like Brook Street, where the pollution is especially bad, as collateral damage.

“I totally support the idea of a bigger and more improved bus station, with carbon neutral busses. Government funding is needed to finance this, though.”