A senior Carlisle councillor says air quality in the city has improved significantly in recent years - despite a new report suggesting it falls below recommended standards.

Lee Sherriff, Carlisle City Council's communities, health and wellbeing portfolio holder, said the data used in the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change is from 2013.

She said since then there has been extensive work to improve air quality, and latest tests show it now falls within the standards set out by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Miss Sherriff said the new Carlisle Northern Development Route, which opened in 2012, has been a big factor.

This was proven in a recent project to monitor air quality in the city.

It saw stations set up at various locations to check nitrogen dioxide levels, largely affected by emissions from cars.

The results showed that air quality in areas like Stanwix had significantly improved since the bypass opened, instead taking traffic around the northern edge of the city to Kingmoor.

This air monitoring initiative was received global recognition at a Healthy Cities conference in Copenhagen earlier this year.

"I think it's really positive. We were commended (by Healthy Cities) for the fact that our air quality has improved so much.

"It shows that what we are doing is working. The bypass has been really positive," said Miss Sheriff.

The Lancet report looked at the results of a test for fine sooty particles, known as PM2.5s, that have been linked to heart disease and premature death. It showed that the concentration of these particles in Carlisle was 12 micrograms per cubic metre of air.

The World Health Organisation calls for a maximum of 10.

But Carlisle City Council said its statistics show that the figures used were from 2013, which was the highest of the past five years.

Instead its more recent data shows that in 2016, the concentration of PM2.5s in Carlisle stood at 10.

Both figures were recorded at Paddy's Market, close to a main junction in an area of high traffic volume.

Miss Sherriff said although it is positive that pollution has reduced, there is still more to be done - and it will need to be a key consideration as the city grows.

This may include a southern relief road, but also more sustainable transport options as part of the high-profile Garden City plan - which could see up to 10,000 new homes built in the south of the city.

"I would like to see a southern bypass. But it also about making sure that everyone is taking responsibility - industry, the city and county councils.

"It's about making sure it is easy to cycle instead of drive, providing cycle routes. From a Carlisle City Council perspective, this is something that's really important to us," she added.