A NEW action plan to tackle the rising levels of pollution at a traffic blackspot in the centre of St Albans is to be discussed by the district council next week.

Campaigners living in Holywell Hill set up an action group more than five years ago to address the problems they face.

Through studies commissioned by the group of residents with their own money – after the council failed to answer their calls for help - it emerged they were surrounded by dangerous amounts of nitrogen dioxide and the figures have got much worse year on year.

It was in 2004 that the district council looked into the problems and declared the Peahen junction an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) through which they monitored the levels of pollution.

This AQMA was then extended in April this year to include the homes on Holywell Hill after it was discovered the situation had spread.

Cars which queue up Holywell Hill waiting at the red light on the Peahen Junction are the biggest contributing factor to the pollution. Campaigners hope the number of cars which pass through the centre of St Albans are reduced.

It has been recommended that they be diverted on other routes as the majority of motorists use the journey to get to the other end of St Albans and it is more than likely that they could take the A414 North Orbital Road instead.

The action group was set up by residents in a bid to pressure the council to take some action and parents describe the area as a health hazard for their children The district council's cabinet will meet on Tuesday, December 8, to consider their new action plan which includes proposals for a park and ride and new traffic management for St Peter's Street, Chequer Street and Market Place.

Read more stories on the Review's website about what the campaigners have said by clicking the related links below.