News

The best air pollution rates in the UK – with Gwynedd and Pembrokeshire in the top ten

Published

5 years ago

March 16, 2021

EVER wondered where has the cleanest air in Britain? holidaycottages.co.uk has analysed* air pollution rates across the UK to reveal the areas with the lowest levels overall, creating an interactive tool revealing the places with the best air pollution rates per region in the UK.

According to the IQ Air report* which was used to conduct the study, the UK has an average air pollution rating of 10.5µg, which is defined as ‘good’.

What’s more, the UK ranks in the top 25% of lowest air pollution rates in the whole world, ranking 21st out of 89 countries for having the cleanest air.

But which part of the UK has the cleanest air? The top ten regions in the UK with the lowest air pollution rates, based on the average ranking of each town, city and village, are:

Midlothian, Scotland (5.1)
Wiltshire, England (5.4)
Berkshire, England (5.8)
Perthshire, Scotland, and Gwynedd, Wales (6.1)
Lanarkshire, Scotland (6.3)
Pembrokeshire, Wales (6.4)
Stirlingshire, Fife, Clackmannan, and City of Dundee, Scotland (6.5)
City of Edinburgh, Scotland (6.6)
Renfrewshire, Scotland (6.7)
Ayrshire, Scotland (6.8)

Midlothian has the honour of being named the area with the cleanest air in Britain, with an average ranking of 5.1µg. Just south of Edinburgh, Midlothian offers a rural escape with plenty of things to see and explore, including the Pentland Hills and Rosslyn Chapel.

In second place is Wiltshire, with the picturesque market town of Marlborough holding an air quality ranking of just 5.4µg. Berkshire comes in third place thanks to the somewhat surprising low air quality rating of Slough, coming in at just 5.8µg – the only large town in England to feature on the list. The rest of the top ten is populated by Scottish and Welsh locations.

Despite this list, it’s important to note that so many other popular areas in the UK such as Anglesey (7.3µg average), Scottish Highlands (8.3µg average), and Cornwall (9.25µg average) all had average rankings within the WHO target at less than 10µg too; it just so happens that air pollution rates are so good in the UK – a promising statistic!

In fact, of the 126 towns, villages and cities analysed in the report, 75 were ranked as meeting the WHO target (59%), and a further 37 (29%) were ranked as good – that’s 88% of towns and cities overall being marked as within target or good.

Commenting on the findings, Shannon Keary, Digital PR Manager at holidaycottages.co.uk, says: “Air pollution and a greener environment continues to be a huge talking point for many people in the UK, and, in this campaign, we wanted to reveal where in the UK has the lowest air pollution. It’s really promising to see that so many of our towns, cities and villages have such clean air, and it’s especially great to see that a huge 88% of the UK has low air pollution rankings that are either within the WHO target or are rated ‘good’.

“We have also created an interactive tool that allows people to find out the areas in their region with the cleanest air in an easily digestible format and then they can compare it with that of their friends and family across the UK.”

To find out where has the cleanest air in your area, please visit: https://www.holidaycottages.co.uk/blog/clean-air-britain-best-air-quality

Local Government

Armed Forces flag flies over County Hall

Published

1 hour ago

June 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE ARMED FORCES flag is flying proudly at County Hall this week ahead of Armed Forces Day on Saturday, June 27.

Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, Cllr Tessa Hodgson, and the Council’s Armed Forces Champion, Cllr Simon Hancock were among those who marked the flag raising on Monday morning (June 22).

Also present were the Chairman of Council, Cllr Delme Harries, the Chief Executive, Will Bramble and the Regional Armed Forces Covenant Liaison Officer, Hayley Edwards.

Cllr Hancock said: “It is always a very proud moment to see the Armed Forces Flag flying over County Hall.

“Armed Forces Day is a chance to show our deep appreciation for the men and women who serve, as well as the families and communities who support them.

“Our county has a rich history of connection with the Armed Forces, and we are proud to uphold and strengthen that bond.

“As a Council we are committed to ensuring that members of the Armed Forces community in Pembrokeshire receive the recognition and support they truly deserve and we are proud to be a Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award holder.”

Crime

Accused Milford Haven rapist to stand trial at Crown Court

Published

2 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A MILFORD HAVEN man has appeared before magistrates accused of rape and sexual assault.

James Kershaw, 46, is charged with raping a woman in Milford Haven between February 1, 2013, and March 31, 2014.

He also faces a charge of sexually assaulting a female over the age of 13 by penetration with his finger between December 1 and December 30, 2012.

Kershaw appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (Jun 23) by video link and denied both charges.

Due to the seriousness of the allegations, magistrates declined jurisdiction and sent the case to Swansea Crown Court, where Kershaw is due to appear for a pre-trial hearing on July 24.

He was released on conditional bail, with the sole condition that he must not contact the complainant.

News

Bus overturns in major incident near Kidwelly

Published

3 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

All passengers rescued as emergency services remain at scene

A BUS overturned on the A484 between Kidwelly and Ferryside on Tuesday (Jun 23), prompting a major emergency response and lengthy road closures.

The incident happened shortly after 12:20pm near the Kidwelly roundabout at Parc y Bocs.

Emergency services, including firefighters from Kidwelly, Carmarthen and Tumble, were sent to the scene following reports of a serious collision involving the bus.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that all passengers were safely removed from the vehicle.

A spokesperson said: “All passengers have been safely removed from the bus and are receiving appropriate care.”

A rest centre has been established at the John Burns Centre in Kidwelly, where welfare arrangements are being made for those involved.

The scale of the incident led Dyfed-Powys Police to declare a major incident earlier in the day, with officers urging members of the public to avoid the area.

The A484 remains closed between the Kidwelly roundabout at Parc y Bocs and Llandyfaelog while emergency services continue their response and carry out investigations into the cause of the crash.

Police, ambulance and fire crews remain at the scene.

Motorists are being advised to find alternative routes and are warned that the road is expected to remain closed for a considerable time.

Emergency services have also issued advice for drivers caught in congestion during the hot weather, urging people to stay hydrated, keep vehicles ventilated and never leave children, vulnerable adults or pets inside parked vehicles.

The cause of the incident has not yet been confirmed.