Councillors for the west Dorset village named England’s worst for air pollution are calling for amendments to the Environment Bill to be supported.

Chideock Parish Council, on behalf of residents, has written a letter to MPS, including West Dorset MP Chris Loder, CPRE, Green Party members, the select committee for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Friends of the Earth, imploring them to support the bill and proposed amendments from environmental organisation, Client Earth.

In July, the village was reported to have the highest NO2 levels in England, according to Friends of the Earth and the parish council raised the issue then that ‘national environmental air quality legislation only applies to cities and towns, hence the village of Chideock has no national focus and no national funding for alternatives to be delivered’.

The amendments and the bill would mean air quality legislation which applies to rural areas as well as towns and cities can be enforced.

The letter states: “This is a bill to protect all the people of the UK from the effects of pollution and their right to enjoy clean air.

“We have been protected somewhat by European Law. But we also have current UK legislation ending in 2020, some of which this Bill replaces and some of which gives insufficient protection for the people of this nation.

“Currently the bill could give ministers too much wriggle room to avoid their responsibilities.

“Legislation must apply equally to rural areas affected by environmental pollution, not solely to towns and cities.”

A spokesman for Chideock Parish Council said: “In the event that the Environmental Bill 2020 includes the amendments that Client Earth proposes, it will give Chideock a fighting chance to get Dorset Council, along with its air quality partner Highways England, to commit to a plan that reduces pollution to World Health Organisation recommendations, which are significantly lower than the current legal UK /EU figures.

“It will also commit them to adhere to future reductions or changes by WHO. It is known that the WHO is now reviewing pollution data with an intention to stricter rules.

“It will also commit Dorset Council and Highways England to a shorter time period in which to achieve a reduction to recommended levels.

“Both Dorset Council and Highways England know that the only solution is to reduce traffic by 50 per cent or more as reported consultants acting for Dorset Council.

“The short and long term answer is to take traffic away from Chideock by whatever means. The recent data for pollution and traffic in Chideock during lockdown is clear evidence that too much traffic, particularly cars, is the culprit. Which is why it is essential that the Client Earth amendments to the Environment Bill are supported by government and become law."