Air quality

What is air pollution?

Air pollution is a mix of particles and gases of both natural and human origin. These can come from a range of sources, including:

• transport
• industry
• agriculture
• domestic heating
• global events from further afield, like fires

What are its effects?

According to the Chief Medical Officer's 2022 annual report. Long-term exposure to air pollution is estimated to cause 38,000 deaths per year in England. In 2021, air pollution in Oxfordshire was linked to an estimated 320 early deaths.

Our Air Quality Strategy and Route Map

To mark Clean Air Day 2023, we launched a strategy to tackle poor air quality. 

The air quality strategy will prioritise three approaches:

1. Reducing emissions of outdoor and indoor air pollution
2. Extending the distance from pollution sources
3. Protecting those people most at risk

• Clean Air Strategy - One page summary (pdf format, KB)
• Clean Air Strategy 2023-2030 (pdf format, KB)
• Air Quality Strategy Route Map (pdf format, 351 KB)

Oxon Air website

Oxon Air is an air quality website that provides guidance and resources across the county. It was created in partnership with councils across Oxfordshire. The website aims to integrate all relevant air quality information in Oxfordshire under one single platform. 

Visit Oxon Air to see how Oxfordshire tackles pollution, check local air quality, and sign up for alerts.

Project reports

We asked Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants to model air quality across Oxfordshire. This work created pollution maps for local neighbourhoods. We use these maps in our Climate Score Cards.

This report shows data for medium-sized areas called middle layer super output areas (MSOAs). Smaller areas called lower layer super output areas (LSOAs) show a worse picture.

• 70% of LSOAs exceeded the 2021 World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline for nitrogen dioxide. The annual average guideline for nitrogen dioxide is 10 µg/m³.
• 100% of LSOAs were above the 2021 WHO guideline for fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The annual average guideline for PM2.5 is 5 µg/m³.

Read our Oxfordshire Air Quality Modelling Report (pdf format, 14 MB).

Councillor Liz Leffman's Statement on Air Quality

"Air quality has been improving across Oxfordshire in recent decades. However, levels remain above the World Health Organisation (WHO) standards in many places. It is critical that we work to improve air quality to deliver the council's priorities, particularly prioritising the health and wellbeing of residents.

"We want to do everything within our power to clean up the air in Oxfordshire. Our vision is to accelerate the improvement in Oxfordshire's air quality to reduce the health and environmental impacts of dirty air, so that all residents can breathe safely.

"By burning less fuel through changing how we travel, heat our homes and the things we buy, we can create environments that are better for our mental wellbeing, health, nature and our climate too.”

Over a lifetime, the average person takes more than 600 million breaths. Breathing polluted air significantly increases the risk of heart, lung, and brain conditions like dementia.