I am pleased to announce that today the Government has published our draft plan to improve air quality by a significant reduction in nitrogen dioxide levels in the UK.

Improving air quality is a top priority for this government, and I am proud of the work that my department has been doing to bring these proposals forward. The options now open for consultation on reducing nitrogen dioxide in our towns and cities are designed to reduce the impact of diesel vehicles, and accelerate the move to cleaner transport.

Local authorities are already responsible for improving air quality in their area, but will now be expected to develop new and creative solutions to reduce emissions as quickly as possible, while avoiding undue impact on the motorist.

We are consulting on a range of measures that could be taken to mitigate the impact of action to improve air quality, and are seeking views on these proposals in advance of preparing our final plan for publication by the 31st July.

This consultation will run until 15 June, and you can read more about it, including how to formally respond, on the gov.uk website.