Tendring is above the national average for respiratory deaths

Office for Health Improvements and Disparities data shows 278 people in Tendring died due to respiratory illness in 2022.

This means there were 121 deaths per 100,000 people in Tendring.

This is above the national average of 107 deaths per 100,000 people.

While in Colchester 179 people in Colchester died due to respiratory illness in 2022 which is below the national average of 107 deaths per 100,000 people.

Colchester councillor Martin Goss said: “It has always been a problem that comes up, that people have died from respiratory diseases due to air quality.

“This won’t disappear, it won’t go away, what might change is if more people drive electric and we change the way we travel.”

Chronic - Liberal Democrat Martin Goss said deaths due to air pollution would not simply disappear (Image: Steve Brading)

Mr Goss said one of the problems was the cost of electric vehicles and the relative lack of advancement, with himself choosing a non-electric vehicle this year due to the cost.

He said that taxpayer money had previously been used to help bus companies be compliant to air pollution standards and added: “When I’m on the main roads, I can taste the pollution in my mouth – it’s going to be affecting people.”

Monitoring - Colchester Council has a continuous monitoring station on Brook Street

Nationally, there were 790,000 emergency hospital admissions due to respiratory disease in 2022 to 2023 – up from 660,000 the year before, though still below pre-pandemic levels.

While in Suffolk and north east Essex, emergency admissions rose by 17 per cent to 13,550.

To learn more about air pollution in Tendring visit https://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/content/clean-air-act and to view the latest air pollution data in Colchester visit https://www.colchester.gov.uk/environmental-protection/air-quality-in-colchester/