POOR PEOPLE IN NORTHERN ENGLISH CITIES FACE UP TO 33% MORE AIR POLLUTION THAN WEALTHY NEIGHBOURS

A new study has laid bare Britain's northern air divide. 

Researchers from Sheffield University analysed the amount of air pollution people living in major northern cities face.

Their results revealed a huge discrepancy between the poorest and richest people in Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, and Sheffield. 

Shockingly, low–income communities were found to experience 33 per cent higher levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) than their neighbours in wealthier areas. 

Worryingly, research has shown that long–term exposure to high levels of NO2 can increase the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. 

And in extreme cases, it can even prove fatal. 

'Low–income and diverse communities in Northern English cities with a history of heavy industry face a triple burden: worse air quality, lower vegetation density and nearby greenspaces that are often located close to traffic or neglected,' said Dr Maria Val Martin, an author of the study. 

'As well as the well–established health risks from air pollution, limited access to quality, functional green environments can also impact the mental wellbeing of people who rely on these areas for recreation.'

Several previous studies have explored the inequalities in air pollution exposure in the UK.

'With over 80% of the UK population living in urban areas, recent studies have highlighted persistent social and spatial inequalities in air pollution exposure, with disproportionately high concentrations found in more deprived and racially diverse communities,' the team explained in their study, published the Journal of Environmental Management. 

However, in their new study, the team decided to hone in on 10 northern English cities – Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield, Carlisle, Chester, Durham, Lincoln, and Scarborough. 

In each city, the researchers analysed the NO2 levels across the region, based on 2019 data.  

Their air quality readings revealed stark differences between areas home to low–income and ethnically diverse communities than those with wealthier residents. 

In Leeds and Sheffield, NO2 levels were over 40 per cent higher in low–income and ethnically diverse neighbourhoods compared to more affluent areas. 

This is almost three times the national average disparity of 15 per cent between low–income, ethnically diverse communities and wealthier urban areas.

However, the disparity was found to be far less pronounced in regional cities with rural legacies. 

For example, in Durham and Scarborough, the inequalities were weak or entirely absent.   

'During the industrial revolution, housing for workers was built very close to factories and major transport routes and we are still seeing the impact of that today,' Dr Val Martin added.

'Lower income and ethnically diverse communities remain disproportionately concentrated in high traffic areas with limited or degraded greenspace.

'While measures such as planting trees and improving green spaces are very important, it is not a silver bullet to tackle this deep–seated environmental injustice.'

Worryingly, previous research has shown ample evidence that NO2 is harmful to human health. 

'The most common outcomes are respiratory symptoms such as shortness of breath and cough,' London Air explains on its website.

'Nitrogen dioxide inflames the lining of the lung and reduces immunity to lung infections such as bronchitis. 

'Studies also suggest that the health effects are more pronounced in people with asthma compared to healthly individuals.'

Based on the findings, the researchers are calling for a shift away from a 'one–size–fits all' approach to urban planning. 

Instead, they suggest town planners should focus on specific actions based on the history, layout and demographics of a city. 

In the major cities where the disparity is most pronounced, this includes clean air zones, active travel neighbourhoods, vegetated barriers and 'green walls', as well as restoring neglected parks and green spaces. 

The researchers now hope to conduct similar studies in southern England to understand whether these environmental disparities reflect a national trend.

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2026-01-19T12:24:56Z