BRADFORD motorists are being encouraged to consider the impact of their regular car use on the district’s air quality.

Tomorrow is Clean Air Day, a national campaign that will see schools, workplaces and communities across the UK run events to inspire people to act for their own health and the health of their family, friends and neighbours.

As part of the day, people will be encouraged to ditch their car for the day and use public transport, walk or cycle to work.

And Bradford Council has urged motorists to turn off their engines when cars are idle for more than a minute, such as when people are picking up or dropping people off.

One local campaign group will use the day to raise awareness of pollution around a primary school just yards from two of the district’s busiest junctions.

Air pollution causes early deaths and contributes to illnesses such as heart disease and asthma, as well as being associated with strokes and heart attacks. In Bradford it is thought that air pollution contributes to around five per cent of early deaths. People can be harmed by the air they breathe when out and about, but the quality of air inside buildings can also be harmful due to air pollution from cooking, the burning of things like solid fuels and candles and the products we all use in our homes.

The Council says it hopes the say will “inspire” people to reduce air pollution.

On the day the Bradford Capital of Cycling will be raising awareness of pollution at Shipley CofE Primary School. The school, is on Otley Road, just metres from the busy junction with Bradford Road.

At the start of, and end of, the school day tomorrow members of the group will join staff and pupils at the school to march outside the school with large puppets, provided by Cecil Green Arts. They hope it will act as a reminder to motorists stuck in traffic near the school that their cars are spewing out fumes a short distance away from a children’s playground.

David Robison, from the group, said much more needed to be done to encourage cycling, walking, and to make it worthwhile for people to ditch their cars. He said: “Drivers can do a lot to help reduce pollution, from the style of driving to the type of cars they drive. People can look to using alternative transport too. There are a lot of positive measures people can take.”

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Portfolio Holder for Health People and Places on Bradford Council, said: “We all need to understand and take responsibility for the implications that pollution has not only on the environment but also how it affects our health, especially on young children and people with heart and lung problems. I am keen people learn about and understand air pollution in the home, we all think about pollution outside but we need to be aware of how pollution can affects our homes and steps we can take to alleviate this.”

For more information and clean air advice, visit cleanairday.org.uk/