THE Welsh Government has agreed a six point plan to help cut the growing levels of air pollution in Wales.

AMs unanimously supported a motion which includes treating air pollution as a public health issue and providing guidance to health boards to alert people of pollution levels.

Other proposals included developing a clean air plan for the whole of Wales and promote the need to decarbonise public transport.

During a discussion in the Senedd Newport East AM John Griffiths said: “Air quality is certainly a major issue for public health, and also for the environment.

“As far as the towns and cities are concerned, Newport is one of the cities with considerable challenges.”

David Melding, the Welsh Conservative AM for South Wales Central, said: “Five towns and cities in Wales - Port Talbot, Chepstow, Cardiff, Newport and Swansea - reported illegal and damaging levels of air pollution in 2016.

“It’s not difficult to see why and the sort of action that we do need to reduce that in terms of reduced car use and more active travel plans.

“The problem we have from vehicle emissions is an overriding issue, and these are responsible for about 70 per cent of airborne pollutants.”

Plaid Cymru’s Simon Thomas, regional AM for Mid and West Wales, said air pollution also has social implications

“The impact is greatest in the most deprived areas,” he said. “The 10 per cent most deprived areas, for example, have five times higher levels of carcinogenic air pollution.

“If we look at those towns and cities, and, famously, Hafodyrynys Road in Crumlin in Caerphilly, which is one of the UK’s most polluted roads we see very clearly the association of air quality problems with deprived communities and with communities that are struggling economically as well.

“So, people are not able to move out of those communities and make their own choices.”