THE Green Party will be targeting a ward lying in a Durham pollution hotspot in a bid to gain a foothold on Durham County Council in the forthcoming local council elections, the party’s co-leader has revealed.

Caroline Lucas was speaking ahead of a visit to the city, where she aims to highlight “frightening” levels of nitrogen dioxide caused by vehicle exhausts, in what has been an air quality management area (AQMA) since April 2011.

Ms Lucas will also be launching the party’s Durham Future City Plan and throwing her weight behind the local party, which hopes to make a breakthrough onto the council, in the Neville’s Cross ward.

She said: “Neville’s Cross is where we came second to the Lib Dems in the last local council elections. We solidly beat Labour and the Conservatives.

“We are looking for a breakthrough in Neville’s Cross. What is exciting is that when you have one or two Greens on a council it really changes things because people can then see Green policies in action and can see their credibility.”

Ms Lucas visited Neville’s Cross Bank in the AQMA, where she said levels of nitrogen dioxide are “really frightening”.

She said: “There are some locations in Durham City that have comparable air pollution to central London and levels of nitrogen dioxide at Neville’s Cross do indeed exceed nationally recognised safety standards by almost 50 per cent.

“And even more worrying is it is getting worse not better. So we absolutely want to see urgent action to tackle air pollution.”

Jonathan Elmer, the Green Party’s candidate for Neville’s Cross, said: “As a resident of Durham I am deeply concerned about the level of air pollution and its direct impact on people’s health especially their respiratory health.

“I don’t think what the county council are doing comes anywhere near close to what is necessary and arguably the measures they hope to put in place will be ineffectual.”

Nitrogen dioxide pollution is linked with lung cancer, heart disease, asthma and dementia and can affect the development of young and unborn children, according to the Royal College of Physicians.

Ms Lucas addressed an audience at Durham Miners’ Hall on the party’s Durham Future City Plan.

Currently being drawn up by the Greens, it will set out how Durham could look if developed in a sustainable manner. The plan will address economic, housing, transport, environmental, food and social needs.

Ms Lucas said: “In particular we will be challenging the idea that development has to be about more and more roads and building on the green belt.

“We absolutely want to see good transport links but we would not be in favour of a Durham relief road.”

Cllr Neil Foster, Cabinet member for economic regeneration, said: “With over 800 air quality management areas declared across the country we know that air pollution exists in nearly every major town and city so it’s important to reassure everyone and encourage people not to be unduly worried by the rather surprising decision to highlight Durham City.

"We are committed to improving air quality and have already adopted an action plan, following consultation with local residents, which we are confident will deliver measurable results in the coming years as we continue to work to cut congestion, reduce exhaust emissions and encourage more environmentally friendly travel.

“Durham was one of the first places in the country to adopt a congestion charge and our park and ride service means much fewer cars on the road through the city. The recently completed SCOOT system allows us to control traffic much more efficiently - decreasing delays and therefore reducing emissions - and the new traffic lights also encourage cycling by making roundabouts easier to cross.

"In addition we continue to work extremely closely with local bus operators to introduce technology to minimise emissions from their vehicles as well as encouraging new and more environmentally friendly buses. We also have teams who work with local businesses to encourage their staff to car share, cycle and walk to work."

He added: “However the main issue for air pollution in Durham City was the decision taken in the 1960s to route the A690 through the city centre when other areas were building bypasses and relief roads.

"The result of this is that between a third and a half of all vehicles are only passing through the city as it’s now the main route between the motorway and where people live and work.

"Although the County Durham Plan is currently paused, during the last consultation we saw overwhelming support from the public for relief roads to take cars and pollution away from the centre.

"Fewer cars on the roads would also mean we would be able to consider much more and improved cycling facilities for the city, which the current levels of traffic make very difficult.”