BRITAIN faces multi-million pound fines if it does not heed a final warning by the European Commission over its failure to address harmful levels of toxic air in the UK, with Scotland amongst the worst offenders in the country.

Westminster has been told that it could be taken to the European Court of Justice within months unless it shows it is dealing with nitrogen dioxide pollution in 16 areas of the UK, including in and around Glasgow.

Glasgow has been described as "the most polluted city in Scotland" by environmental lawyers ClientEarth over what it called "illegal and harmful levels" of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which comes mostly from diesel vehicles.

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The Glasgow Urban Area as defined by the EU

And data produced by the EU shows that Glasgow has the highest average annual concentration of NO2 outside of London, with 68 micrograms of NO2 per cubic metre of air - 70 per cent higher than the Euro limit.

In November, in an action pursued by ClientEarth, the high court ruled that ministers' plans to tackle illegal levels of air pollution were unlawfully poor and have been given until April 24 to produce draft plans to deal with it.

Some 2000 early deaths are caused every year in Scotland because of polluted air according to the latest medical research, with some 40,000 across the UK.

Dirty air causes at least £27.5bn in costs very year in the UK, according to the government’s own estimates, and was called a “public health emergency” by MPs in April.

A raft of recent studies and reports have linked air pollution to heart disease and lung problems, including asthma.

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ClientEarth CEO James Thornton said: “The action today by the EU Commission is a reminder of just how serious a problem the UK has with air pollution.

"Our High Court victory against the government in November of last year means ministers have to produce draft plans by April 24 to clean up our air as soon as possible. With this final warning from the Commission, the government is under pressure from all sides to stop dithering and act decisively to meet its moral and legal obligations to clean up our unhealthy air.”

Friends of the Earth air pollution campaigner Emilia Hanna said that the Scottish Government were ultimately responsible for making our air safe to breathe in Scotland and while ministers have promised a Low Emission Zone by 2018 they had to make a public commitment to finding it.

The Scottish Government’s draft climate change plan calls for at least 40 per cent of cars and vans to be ultra-low emission by 2032.

Aiming to reduce transport emissions by around a third over the same period, the plan also sets out proposals to trial a low emission zone.

Britain is one of five countries served with the warning over persistent breaches of NO2 levels having been in breach since 2010. European commission spokesman Enrico Brivio said: “It is a warning that we send to member states asking to comply, to take measures to fight this poor air quality that provokes respiratory disease and cardiovascular disease. It is an important factor on the health of citizens.

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“So we ask the UK, as the other four member states, to take appropriate measures to fight this type of air pollution and we hope they comply.”

The existing UK government plan is for clean air zones – in which polluting diesel vehicles are charged to enter city centres – in just six UK cities.

A new plan that meets the legal requirement to cut illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide pollution in the “shortest possible time” is expected to involve clean air zones in many cities and towns across the country.

A Government spokesman said: “We’ve committed over £2 billion since 2011 to increase uptake of ultra-low-emission vehicles, support green transport and set out [planned] Clean Air Zones. We will update our air quality plans later this year.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said “We are determined to improve air quality and are working to ensure Scotland’s first low emission zone is in place next year. The Government is liaising closely with local authorities and other partners to meet this timetable.

"Significantly reducing vehicle emissions in our towns and cities will improve health, reduce pollution related illnesses and consequently bring savings to healthcare. Low emission zones, consolidation centres on the periphery of urban areas and support for the purchase of low emission buses will ensure the most polluting vehicles do not enter our towns and cities, based on the National low Emission Framework assessments."

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