DEATHS due to air pollution are well above average, according to recently released data.

Slough is the third highest rate of deaths to air pollution in the South East region, according to data from Public Health England. The results from the organisation showed that 6.2 per cent of deaths in Slough could be attributed to particulate air pollution, behind Medway (6.3 per cent) and Portsmouth (6.6 per cent).

Across England, the worst area for deaths to air pollution was Waltham (6.9 per cent), while the Isles of Scilly was the least affected (at 2.9 per cent). The average rate for the South East region is 5.5 per cent, placing Slough significantly above average. The Windsor and Maidenhead region was only slightly above average, at 5.6 per cent.

Slough Borough Council said that they are in the process of preparing a 'Low Emissions Strategy' to help combat pollution. They have identified four 'Air Quality Management Areas' in Slough where emissions of nitrogen dioxide breach EU limits. These areas include junction 5 and junction 6 of the M4, as well as the town centre.

SBC said: "Levels of fine particulates (PM2.5) in 2015 accounted for 19.1 premature deaths per 100,000 people in Slough, compared with a rate of 11.7 for the South East.

"The health impacts of air pollution are becoming more apparent with evidence showing effects such as heart attacks, strokes, low birth weight babies and impaired lung and brain development. The World Health Organisation (WHO) categorises diesel exhaust fumes as carcinogenic.

"We have developed a Low Emission Strategy (LES) which will target reductions in vehicle emissions by accelerating the uptake of cleaner vehicles and technologies."

Measures outlined in the LES include developing cycling infrastructure, introducing further electric vehicle charge points, and procuring low-emissions vehicles for its own operations.

A spokeswoman for Slough Borough Council said: "We have one of the highest uptake rates for electric vehicles, and we are in discussions with Reading Buses about bringing in electric buses too. We also recently reduced licensing requirements for taxis, so that hybrid and electric vehicles can be registered as taxis."