Despite government promises, far more needs to be done to cut traffic levels and improve public transport

Roger Higman, Friends of the Earth

The move follows recent research highlighting the health risks that still exist from various types of pollution, despite attempts to clean up the UK's air.

Pollutants have caused a significant number of early deaths through heart disease and breathing disorders such as asthma, research indicates.

The new targets relate to a number of chemicals including benzene, carbon monoxide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Mr Meacher said the government had been warned that inhaling certain particles - which can be caused by both traffic and industry - over a long period could lead to premature death.

Michael Meacher wants pollution levels to be halved by 2010

Mr Meacher said: "Benzene is a recognised carcinogen, carbon monoxide reduces the capacity of the blood to carry oxygen, and therefore people with existing diseases which affect the delivery of oxygen to the heart or the brain - here we are thinking of angina - are likely to be particularly at risk.

"Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) produce an increased incidence of tumours of the lung, skin and other sites in the body, and lung cancer is the most obvious link to exposure to PAHs.

"Reductions in all of these pollutants should help in all of those ways."

Cautious welcome

The total cost of meeting the targets is estimated at between �780m and �1.1bn per year.

Environmental groups have welcomed the new approach, but say the measures do not go far enough.

Air pollution campaigner at Friends of the Earth, Roger Higman, said: "We're pleased that the government has pledged to clean up our air, but it must go further.

"Even if these new targets are met, air pollution will still cause suffering to thousands of people every year.

"Despite government promises, far more needs to be done to cut traffic levels and improve public transport."

London strategy

Mr Meacher said it was for local authorities to decide how to meet the air quality targets but many would try to improve buses and trains.

Cars were 10 times cleaner now than they were a decade ago, thanks to technology, but Mr Meacher said these improvements were being "swamped" by the volume of cars on the road.

The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, is planning to issue his own air quality strategy, said Mr Meacher.

He continued: "I don't know what he is going to decide, but he could look at workplace parking levies, road user charging and a review of parking charges.

"Obviously those are trying to constrain the motorist and it is equally important to improve public transport along radial routes and have low emission zones, which might restrict access to newer, cleaner vehicles.

"All of those are possible and have been much talked about."