- Low-income and ethnically diverse communities in Northern English cities with a history of heavy industry face up to 33 per cent higher exposure to harmful air pollution than their wealthier counterparts, according to new University of Sheffield research
- The study found that while green spaces like parks and recreational grounds are present in these areas, they are often located near busy roads or air pollution hotspots. These environmental conditions, combined with an overall lower density of vegetation (greenness), significantly undermines their potential health benefits
- The 33 per cent figure is more than double the national average disparity of 15 per cent between low-income, diverse communities and more affluent urban areas reported in recent UK-wide studies
Low-income and ethnically diverse communities in post-industrial Northern English cities face up to 33 per cent more air pollution than their neighbours in wealthier areas, according to new University of Sheffield research.
The study, published in the Journal of Environmental Management, reveals a stark environmental divide. This 33 per cent is more than double the national average disparity of 15 per cent between low-income, ethnically diverse communities and wealthier urban areas, suggesting environmental health inequalities may be more pronounced in some Northern cities shaped by industrial development.
The research shows that residents in these communities face significantly higher levels of air pollution (nitrogen dioxide, NO2 - primarily caused by vehicle emissions) along with lower vegetation density and less effective greenspace provision, limiting the potential health benefits these spaces can provide.
Long-term exposure to high levels of NO2 can be fatal, with proven links to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, while short-term exposure can worsen existing conditions such as asthma and many other respiratory conditions.
While green spaces like parks and woodlands are often accessible in low-income areas, they tend to have lower vegetation density and are frequently situated near busy roads. This limits their potential to mitigate the substantially higher air pollution levels found in these neighbourhoods.
Dr Maria Val Martin, an UKRI Future Leaders Fellow and Atmospheric Scientist in the University of Sheffield’s School of Biosciences, said: “Low-income and diverse communities in Northern English cities with a history of heavy industry face a triple burden: worse air quality, lower vegetation density and nearby greenspaces that are often located close to traffic or neglected.
“As well as the well-established health risks from air pollution, limited access to quality, functional green environments can also impact the mental wellbeing of people who rely on these areas for recreation.”
While recent studies have detailed the broader national inequalities in air pollution exposure, there are still important gaps in our understanding of these disparities at a more local level.
To begin to address these gaps, the researchers focussed on urban neighbourhoods of 10 Northern English cities, broadly grouping them according to their development history:
Major cities (industrial legacy): Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield
Regional cities (rural legacy): Carlisle, Chester, Durham, Lincoln and Scarborough
The study found that diverse communities in urban areas in Major cities have the highest overall levels of air pollution and poorest access to good quality green spaces. In contrast, this disparity was far less pronounced in Regional cities with rural histories, which showed no strong link between ethnicity, income and air pollution levels.
For example, in Leeds and Sheffield, NO2 levels were over 40% higher in low-income and ethnically diverse neighbourhoods compared to more affluent areas. In contrast, in regional cities like Durham or Scarborough, these inequalities were weak or absent, with little variation in air pollution or greenspace across different urban communities.
“During the industrial revolution, housing for workers was built very close to factories and major transport routes and we are still seeing the impact of that today,” Dr Val Martin added.
“Lower income and ethnically diverse communities remain disproportionately concentrated in high traffic areas with limited or degraded greenspace.
“While measures such as planting trees and improving green spaces are very important, it is not a silver bullet to tackle this deep-seated environmental injustice.”
The study advocates for a shift away from a ‘one-size-fits all’ approach to urban planning, instead focussing on specific actions based on the unique history, layout and demographics of a city. In major cities this includes clean air zones, active travel neighbourhoods, vegetated barriers and ‘green walls’, restoring neglected parks and green spaces and more.
This reflects the goals of the government’s Environmental Improvement Plan, which set a series of targets to restore nature, improve air quality and, for the first time, a commitment that every household should be within a 15-minute walk of a high quality green space.
The researchers now hope to conduct similar studies in Southern England to determine whether these environmental disparities reflect a national trend or are unique to the industrial legacies of the North.
View the study in full: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.128493
