A “complacent and unambitious” plan to tackle pollution in Wycombe has been slammed by an environment group.

Campaigners from Wycombe Friends of the Earth fear people’s health could suffer after Wycombe District Council’s (WDC) cabinet approved a “weak” air quality action plan for the area in October.

WDC has been approached for a comment regarding the criticisms, however the authority did not respond before going to print.

A report published last year found air pollution in some areas of High Wycombe is more than 70 per cent above the national target.

There are currently three air quality management areas (AQMA) in Wycombe – locations that have been identified has having high pollution levels – and WDC is required produce a plan outlining ways to tackle the issue.

The AQMAs are along the M40 corridor, main roads in High Wycombe and town centre roads towards Marlow.

Friends of the Earth has also raised concerns that “no changes” were made to the draft plans – despite numerous suggestions being made my dozens of residents during the consultation.

Mike Chadwick, from Wycombe Friends of the Earth, said: “This is a disappointingly complacent and unambitious plan, watered down from the aspirations of a steering group who were involved in the early stages, and in particular shying away from the challenging but absolutely fundamental issue of how to get people out of their cars and onto their feet, cycles and public transport.

“Not only has the input of the steering group been diluted and side-lined by the inertia and lack of vision of certain council departments, but so has that of the members of the public who took the trouble to participate in a consultation on the draft.

“The report to cabinet revealed that 41 respondents submitted in depth comments, including suggested additional and amended actions, and opinions on the merits or otherwise of specific actions. Yet no changes to the draft plan were made.”

Air pollution is considered to be responsible for 44,000 to 53,000 early deaths annually in the UK, while poor air quality is thought to contribute to 5.7 per cent of deaths in Wycombe.

WDC’s plan outlines 25 actions it has pledged to take in a bid to improve air quality – which include developing “new ways of making public transport more attractive to the public” and apply for government funding to upgrade older buses will more environmentally friendly engines.

The council also plans to work with the county council to raise awareness of the park and ride at Handy Cross and run campaigns encouraging people to reduce their air emissions.