Mark is a member of a key committee in Parliament which has just issued a report on the role of air pollution in causing tens of thousands of early deaths in the UK each year.

Mark said:

"Edinburgh’s nickname ‘Auld Reekie’ came from the smoke caused mainly by burning coal and wood in homes and factories in the past but today’s pollution stems largely from transport.

"Recent studies have shown the high level of pollution in parts of Edinburgh and this UK-wide report underlines the need for action by the Scottish Government to boost green transport and work with the City Council to radically improving air quality in the city.

"Air pollution may not appear as the cause on death certificates but poor air quality leads to poor health and it can have especially serious consequences for vulnerable people such as the elderly, children or people with heart and lung conditions."

Mark is one of the members of the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) that issued the report which aims to awaken public awareness of the problem. It calls for coordinated action from Government at all levels to improve air quality, both to safeguard public health and cut carbon emissions.

The report found that on average air pollution cuts life expectancy in the UK by 7-8 months and in the places worst affected it can shorten vulnerable people’s lives by as much as 9 years.

In January an independent report by Audit Scotland pointed to parts of Edinburgh where traffic pollution breached European Union guidelines. This is not only bad for people’s health but also threatens to incur heavy fines by the EU when mandatory targets on air quality come into force next year.

To put the problem in context, air pollution from road transport has fallen by 50% since 1990 but traffic has increased by a fifth and the number of licensed vehicles increased by 77% between 1980 and 2007, from 19 to 34 million.

The UK Government has already set up a green bus fund and last week announced new investment in the development of electric cars. Mark has been calling on the Scottish Government to follow suit and the report stresses the need for further action of this kind.