Many UK cities continue to struggle to meet the legally-defined limits for NO2, ahead of the forthcoming Clean Air Day, so City of York Council’s 2 June announcement that is is now meeting national air pollution targets for the first time seems significant.
The latest air quality monitoring figures from the council for 2024, reported to the Combined Executive Member Decision Session on 3 June 2025, appear to show that the health-based air quality objectives were met at all locations in York for the first time (outside of the COVID-19 lockdowns).
Air quality monitoring in some areas of the city, such as around Gillygate and Bootham, has shown that maximum annual levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution improved by 27% in 2024 compared with 2023.
The council cited successes in its own work including: securing further electrification of buses and council fleet vehicles, policies that incentivise the uptake of more low-emission taxis, anti-idling campaigns encouraging people to turn off their engines when stationary or waiting in traffic, and improved electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure – all of which will have helped improve air quality throughout 2024.
The city also operates an air quality alert system, which sends air pollution messages and health advice to those most likely to be affected.
Cllr Jenny Kent, the Council’s Executive Member for the Environment and Climate Emergency, said: “This is brilliant news – what a fantastic achievement to help us celebrate Clean Air Day. By being proactive on improving the air we all breathe, the council has helped to meet air pollution targets for the first time ever in York.
“Having walked the stretch along Holgate for over a decade with prams and children, along with hundreds of young people travelling to and from 9 schools in the area, I know first hand what a difference this makes. We made a commitment to improve air quality when we published our 4th Air Quality Action Plan last summer and it is rewarding to see that the measures are working. Cleaner air is helping improve the health and wellbeing of everyone in York.
“This is a really big achievement which we should celebrate, but we are not complacent; we need to see these results and the longer-term downward trend continue”.
Peter Roderick, director of Public Health at City of York Council, said:
“Even though we can’t see it, air pollution impacts our health whatever age we are. Improving air quality not only benefits our physical health and the environment but can also protect our mental and brain health. For the whole of York to meet air pollution targets for first time since COVID is a great achievement.
“We hope Clean Air Day will help raise awareness of air pollution across the city and encourage people to consider their air quality impact in helping to protect everyone’s health. We can all make improvements; share a lift to work, work from home or walk, catch the bus or cycle, if possible.
“The latest results for the city demonstrate how far we have come in recent years to improve local air quality for everyone, however we recognise that more can be done. Through the council’s Air Quality Action Plan and other complementary strategies, we aim to go beyond National Air Quality Objectives and work towards meeting stricter World Health Organisation guidelines in the longer term to further improve public health; this will allow us all to benefit from lasting health improvements”.
Mick Forbes, Engineering Director of First Bus North & West Yorkshire, said:
“The results are very positive and provide real evidence of the environmental benefits we are achieving with our fully zero-emission fleet on the streets of York, which started on routes through Gillygate in September 2023.
“We are delighted this is recognised in the air quality assessment by City of York Council and will continue to support its efforts to create cleaner air in the city.
“By working together with the council we have been able to invest millions of pounds with government funding support to transform our James Street depot, which is one of the first in the country to be declared net zero.”
Taking place on place on 19 June, Clean Air Day is the UK’s largest annual campaign to raise awareness about air pollution and promote actions to improve air quality and protect public health.
