NEW transport improvements to improve air quality in Brighton and Hove’s most polluted street will be explored after hundreds of residents called for action.

Council officers have been tasked in drawing up new measures to help improve the air quality in Rottingdean High Street which currently breaches EU levels.

A petition set up by campaigners St Aubyns Field Evergreen (SAFE) and signed by hundreds of residents was put before the full council on Thursday night.

Rottingdean High Street was declared an air quality management area in 2013 after European and national pollution levels were exceeded and the area is within 100 metres of two junior schools.

SAFE have teamed up with Dr Kirsty Smallbone from the University of Brighton who has allocated a student to measure air quality in the High Street with plans being considered to hire more advanced measuring equipment.

Conservative councillor Lynda Hyde, who proposed a motion for a report to come to the next transport committee outlining options to improve air quality, said the issue of pollution was most harmful to children and the elderly.

She said that the A259 bus lane had created more congestion with jams now stretching from Rottingdean High Street junction all the way to Roedean School and Newhaven while the Lewes Road bus lane had also added to problems.

The Conservative councillor said now was a “golden opportunity” for environment, transport and sustainability committee chairwoman Gill Mitchell to act on her words that there was “still much to do” to improve air quality in the city.

Rottingdean councillor Joe Miller criticised the failure of the transport committee to act on the call for action when the issue was brought before it just last month.

He said it was disappointing that residents had been told there was no money left to address this most “pressing health issue”.

Cllr Miller added: “With 15 per cent of the 13,200 new homes planned for the east of the city, the situation is only going to get worse.

“This needs to be much higher up the agenda of council officers and the administration.”

Cllr Mitchell said a steady improvement to air quality in Rottingdean High Street between 2013 and 2015 had now declined and that give way signs, box junctions and removal of parking spaces had already been introduced to improve traffic flow.

She said the council may have to turn to the government or the EU for funding but any application may require to show how the measures would assist house building or job creation rather than just improve air quality.

She added: “I’m really happy to bring report to next committee setting out the issues in more detail but it won’t be easy and many suggestions will be controversial.”