North Tyneside Council has approved a public consultation to help improve the area's air quality.
According to council documents, the primary pollutant is nitrogen dioxide and "particulates" from traffic. Long-term exposure to such pollutants has been shown to cause heart disease, strokes, lung cancer, and asthma in children.
Evidence is also emerging that exposure to poor air quality has links to incidents of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and low birth weights. According to national statistics, around 28,000 and 36,000 deaths a year are attributed to poor air quality.
