Friends of the Earth Scotland has described plans to clamp down on the amount of cars in the capital as game-changing

Plans to pedestrianise large parts of Edinburgh city centre have been welcomed by environmental campaigners.

Friends of the Earth Scotland have said that a public consultation which would transform Edinburgh’s transport systems would help address the capital’s deadly and illegal levels of air pollution.

The plans ask the public for their views on the city centre transformation, the city mobility plan, and low emission zones.

Air pollution campaigner Emilia Hanna said: “Edinburgh Council has put game-changing, modern plans on the table, which, if all implemented, could make the air on our streets safe to breathe again and transform the city into one of the best in the world. They could make our streets safer, enable easier movement and provide a boost to business.”

“Shocking new research shows air pollution can lodge into mothers' placentas, adding to the urgency of tackling this public health risk. Although you can’t see or smell it, Edinburgh has a serious air pollution problem. Traffic fumes are poisoning the air we breathe, with six pollution zones across the city that have remained in force for years. The pollution levels are so bad they are breaking Scottish and European safety standards. Air pollution can worsen asthma, and increases the risk of cancers, heart attacks, strokes, and children’s lungs not growing properly.”

The consultation can be viewed on the City of Edinburgh Council website.