GREEN campaigners have criticised proposals to tackle air pollution for being 'Leeds-centric'.

Otley Green Party held a protest last month to highlight the fact that Nitrogen Dioxide levels in parts of town were on a par with those in the centre of Leeds.

Last week Leeds City Council unveiled plans that could see high-emission vehicles, including lorries, buses and taxis charged up to £100 a day to enter the city centre.

The charges would be part of a 'clean air zone' and be applied to older vehicles travelling within the Outer Ring Road.

The council is to consult on the scheme, which would need government approval, and is suggesting daily charges of £100 for non-compliant buses and HGVs and £12.50 for taxis and private hire vehicles.

Otley's MP Alex Sobel (Lab, Leeds North West) hailed the proposal as a significant step forward - but Leeds Green Party has slammed it as 'woefully inadequate'.

Otley Town Councillor Mick Bradley (Green, Danefield) said: "Given that the local Green Party's air quality monitoring this year found that Beech Hill in Otley had readings as high as parts of central Leeds, why is the Clean Air Zone set to end at the Leeds ring road?

"Residents in Otley need protection from poor air just as much as the rest of Leeds!

"Any proposal to fine lorries should also apply to the significant numbers of HGV and quarry lorries passing through Otley daily.

"At last week's State of the City conference in Leeds I raised the need to include Otley in any measures for tackling air pollution.

"I have also contacted Mr Sobel to ask him to support a motion in Parliament on air pollution from Green MP Caroline Lucas, calling for national action."

Mr Sobel said: "I am very encouraged by Leeds City Council's clean air zone strategy.

"It is a huge step in the right direction to improve air quality across Leeds.

"I hope the zone will be positioned in such a way to deter vehicles from travelling into the city via the A660 corridor, and I will continue to work with the council to get the best outcome for residents of Leeds North West."

Leeds is one of 27 local authorities that has been instructed to introduce urgent measures to meet legal limits on air pollution.

The council's Executive Board was due to consider a report on the Clean Air Zone on Wednesday, December 13 and will run a public consultation in early 2018.

Deputy Leader Councillor Lucinda Yeadon said the authority was also looking into providing support packages to help businesses get cleaner vehicles.

She said: "This is a public health issue, but we don't want to put any added pressure onto those small businesses or individuals - we want to work with them to recognise what the issues are and how we overcome them.

"We're going out to consultation in the New Year to hear people's thoughts about the best way we can deliver this."

*Mr Sobel has said he will be supporting Caroline Lucas’ Early Day Motion in Parliament.