the air you breathe

Air quality in Tyne and Wear is decreasing. Our region contains a number of places that have been classed as ‘air quality management areas’. This means they have been identified as places where air quality is likely to get worse.

Parts of Newcastle, Gateshead and South Tyneside now fall below national air quality standards, with the rest of Tyne and Wear at risk, too.

As the rate of car ownership in Tyne and Wear is rising faster than anywhere else in the UK, we have a challenge ahead of us to encourage as many people to get out of their cars and travel in a different way.

When areas are ranked as air quality management areas, local councils have to put plans in place to reduce or limit the scale of the problem. That is why the five local authorities in Tyne and Wear have clubbed together to launch the Be Air Aware campaign, to ensure that the community understands the need for changes in the way we travel.

The Be Air Aware campaign is committed to working with local communities, especially young people, to improve the situation and prevent poor air quality from harming the health and wellbeing of future generations.