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Monday, May 16, 2016

Caerphilly,South Wales - This road in the Welsh Valleys has some of the worst air pollution levels in the UK

Hafod-yr-Ynys Road in Crumlin

The road's location means heavy traffic which people who live there describe as 'pretty terrible'

Unless you live nearby, it's a road you may never have heard of or ever needed to use.
But this road in the Welsh Valleys has air pollution levels which are among the highest in the UK.
In fact, it records the highest nitrogen dioxide levels outside London and people who live on the street have described it as 'pretty terrible'.
The Guardian examined government data , which showed the levels of nitrogen dioxide on the A472 Hafod-yr-Ynys Road in Crumlin, Caerphilly are the highest recorded in the UK outside London.
The levels are captured by a nitrogen dioxide monitor on the road. They are, in fact,exceeded only by a similar monitor on Marylebone Road in central London.
It is possible there are more polluted places in the country that don’t have a monitor.
David Dixon
The road's position on an intersection of two busy roads - the A467 and A472 - means there is regular heavy traffic
Deanna Hardwick, who lives on the road, told The Guardian : “It’s pretty terrible. We can’t have the windows open because of the fumes so in the summer the house feels pretty airless. I don’t let the children play outside, not just because of the risk of a road accident but because of the damage the air may cause to their health. I’ve been here 10 years and I’m keen to move.”
GoogleCrumlin
Another, George Powell, 70, who has lived on the road for 15 years, told the website he has given up trying to clear the black residue that clings to his front door.
“It’s horrible the way it gathers there. I’ve installed double glazing against the noise but the fumes leave your eyes streaming. I’ve got grandchildren. We let them play out the back – there’s woods and a stream there – but never on the front.”
Google
Lorries using the road regularly have been blamed as a cause of the air pollution
The problem has been attributed to several factors combining to cause the high levels. The road's location means it is always busy with local traffic and it is also used by commuters travelling to Newport and Cardiff. It is also used regularly by lorry drivers.
A Caerphilly council spokesperson told The Guardian: “We are aware of the high air-quality readings in this area and have installed the air-quality monitor specifically to look at trends in air-quality data.
“The area has been designated as an air-quality management area (AQMA) and the council is working alongside key stakeholders to look at options to improve the air quality.”
see-http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/road-welsh-valleys-worst-air-11337664

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