Pollution from traffic is undermining otherwise successful efforts by industry to improve air quality, according to new research from the Environment Agency.

In its State of the Environment report, published today, the green watchdog has blamed an increase in road use for Britain's failure to meet air quality guidelines in urban centres.

The statistics lend further credence to a drive by Alistair Darling, the Transport Secretary, to introduce a pay-as-you-go road tax as between 2p and £1.30 a mile for motorists.

In its conclusions, the EA states that while particle emissions from transport have fallen by 38 per cent between 1990 and 2003, national targets will still be missed because of the 7 per cent growth in vehicle traffic.

It adds: "Action is needed to tackle our car dependence if we want to see further gains in air quality and health."

The report refers to a Department of Health study published shortly after the summer heatwave of 2003, which blamed increased air pollution for 800 deaths in three weeks.

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