Aireborough could pay the price for a proposed Clean Air Zone for Leeds, it is being claimed.

Leeds City Council's plans to reduce pollution within the outer ring road could make the problem worse in Rawdon, Guiseley and Yeadon, according to Aireborough Civic Society.

Now the council is being urged to extend its proposed charge on lorries, buses and taxis so that Aireborough will also be protected.

The Civic Society is urging local people to take part in the council's air pollution consultation which ends on Friday, March 2.

Leeds City Council's proposals include a pollution charge on lorries, buses and taxis that fail to meet the latest emission standards and that are driven into Leeds with the Outer Ring Road as the boundary.

Aireborough Civic Society says it welcomes measures to improve the problem, but wants Leeds to extend the charge to include Rawdon, Guiseley and Yeadon.

In a statement this week the group says: "The people of Aireborough’s health is also important and these proposals will do nothing for local people. Indeed we may have more of the worst polluting vehicles as transport, bus and taxi operators put higher polluting vehicles on our local roads to avoid the pollution charges. This is a very worrying situation."

It adds: "We all know that the A65 and A658 frequently have traffic queuing, not only on weekdays but at the weekend too. Many of these queues are next to homes and shops making the matter especially serious. Congestion maps show that our area is one of the worst in Leeds – and much worse than many areas within the proposed new Congestion Charge Area.

"The current proposals are being consulted on and we would urge all residents concerned about our health to comment and ask for Aireborough to be protected."

The consultation can be found at www.leeds.gov.uk/airqualityconsultation

Comments can be sent to : AQConsultation@leeds.gov.uk.

Leeds City Council is stressing that private vehicles will not be charged under the Clean Air Zone plan, no matter how old they are.

The proposed zone would cover all roads within the outer ring road with the M1 and M62 as the south-eastern boundary but would not include vehicles that divert around the outer ring road, motorways, or vehicles which cross the city using the M621.

The consultation comes after the government instructed the council to outline plans to tackle air pollution in the city after identifying Leeds as being likely to fail legal air quality levels by 2020.

High levels of air pollution can worsen asthma symptoms, damage lung function and are linked with an estimated 40,000 premature deaths in the UK every year.

The council says public responses to the consultation will shape its final air quality proposal which will be presented to the government later in the year.

Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, Leeds City Council executive board member with responsibility for sustainability and the environment said: "Reducing air pollution in Leeds is vital for the health of our city, so it’s fantastic to see that almost 7000 people have already shared their views on this important issue."