Local councils in England could close roads that persistently break "tough" new pollution targets.

Congestion charging for motorists is another weapon councils may need to use to tackle four key pollutants.

Air pollution is blamed for accelerating the deaths of thousands of people in the UK every year.

Pollution sources

Domestic fires Petrol engines Power stations Aluminium plants

Launching the new strategy on Monday, Environment Minister Michael Meacher said air quality was improving but there was no room for complacency.

Congestion charges?

Mr Meacher said it would be up to councils to decide how they met the targets.

"They can of course, if they wish, restrict access to particular roads at particular times," he said.

"They have always had that right to do so under statute."

Michael Meacher: Fewer bad air days

Councils would also be pressed towards congestion charges where there were many pollution hotspots.

Where councils refuse to act, ministers have the power to intervene themselves.

Mr Meacher said at least 12 councils were watching to see whether London Mayor Ken Livingstone's congestion charges could cut pollution.

The target annual average level of dust particles has been cut from 40 micrograms per cubic metre to 20 micrograms by 2010.

New targets are also being put on controlling daily pollution levels.

Cutting cars?

Critics have suggested Labour's failure to deliver on its promise to reduce the amount of road traffic has aggravated pollution levels.

Mr Meacher told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the government had underestimated the difficulty of achieving that cut, although use of public transport was rising.

"We have to find a way of reducing the use of the car," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Pollution troubles asthma sufferers

"There is absolutely no doubt that the car is going to remain the main method of transport for a long time in into the future," he said.

"We have to find a way of making that compatible with health."

Mr Meacher stressed the number of "bad air days" in urban areas was down from 59 in 1993 to 21 last year and acid rain levels halved.

Capital criticisms

Clean air campaigners have criticised the new plans for being too complicated and for setting lower targets for London.

Richard Mills, from the National Society for Clean Air, said the disparity meant Londoners were being asked to accept health inequalities.

Mr Meacher countered that pollution in London would be cut by at least the same amount as the rest of the country.

And the capital was being set the task of reaching the same target as the rest of the country by 2015.

Conservative shadow minister David Davis accused the government of failing to take its responsibilities seriously.

Ministers had failed to meet their own targets and given into the coal lobby by their early moratorium on gas-fired power stations, he argued.

"What we are seeing is an enormous symbolic action but actually no real action," added Mr Davis.

Home fires targeted

Target levels of carcinogen benzene, produced by petrol engines, are also to be cut in the new plans, in line with new European guidelines.

Carbon monoxide targets will also be made tougher.

And for the first time targets will be set for polycyclic hydrocarbons, produced by home coal and wood burning fires, aluminium manufacture and cars.

Experts say air pollution every year accelerates the deaths of 8,000 people who are already ill.

Another 10,500 people go into hospital with breathing problems because of short-term pollution exposure.

Pollutants have also been linked to cancers, heart disease and to birth defects.