So it’s no surprise that the local air quality is an increasingly important factor for people when deciding where to live.
We’ve looked at the latest data available to show the local roads around Northamptonshire with the worst recorded air pollution.
Pollution levels at all these locations were at least three times the World Health Organisation’s lower guideline for clean air of 10 µg/m3 of nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
One place breached the UK limit for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) of 40 µg/m3.
The figures are taken from the 2024 Air Quality Annual Status Reports published by North Northamptonshire Council and West Northamptonshire Council, both of which contain data for 2023. These are the latest figures available.
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1. Harlestone Road, Northampton - 32.1 µg/m3
Harlestone Road, Northampton, near the Mill Lane/Bants Lane junction, is the 13th worst place in Northamptonshire for air pollution. The average nitrogen dioxide level there in 2023, the latest year for which figures are available, was 32.1 µg/m3. That's below the UK limit of 40 µg/m3 but more than three times the World Health Organisation's recommended limit of 10 µg/m3. | Google Photo: Google
2. Grafton Street, Northampton - 32.2 µg/m3
Grafton Street, Northampton, near the St Andrew's Road junction, is the 12th worst place in Northamptonshire for air pollution. The average nitrogen dioxide level there in 2023, the latest year for which figures are available, was 32.2 µg/m3. That's below the UK limit of 40 µg/m3 but more than three times the World Health Organisation's recommended limit of 10 µg/m3. | Google Photo: Google
3. Park Avenue/Wellingborough Road roundabout - 32.5 µg/m3 NO2
The Park Avenue/Wellingborough Road roundabout in Northampton is the 11th worst place in Northamptonshire for air pollution. The average nitrogen dioxide level there in 2023, the latest year for which figures are available, was 32.5 µg/m3. That's below the UK limit of 40 µg/m3 but more than three times the World Health Organisation's recommended limit of 10 µg/m3. | Google Photo: Google
4. Wellingborough Road (St Edmund's Street junction) - 33.0 µg/m3 NO2
Wellingborough Road, Northampton, near the St Edmund's Street junction, is the 10th worst place in Northamptonshire for air pollution. The average nitrogen dioxide level there in 2023, the latest year for which figures are available, was 33.0 µg/m3. That's below the UK limit of 40 µg/m3 but more than three times the World Health Organisation's recommended limit of 10 µg/m3. | Google Photo: Google