Manchester Evening News
·Jul 2026
These are the most polluted neighbourhoods in Greater Manchester - see how your area compares
New Geographic Data Service figures show that every neighbourhood in Greater Manchester exceeds the World Health Organization’s recommended annual limit for PM2.5 pollution, while 98% also exceed the recommended limit for nitrogen dioxide. The highest levels are concentrated around Manchester city centre and north Manchester, including City Centre North, Collyhurst, Piccadilly, Ancoats, Miles Platting, New Islington and Cheetham Hill, with additional high readings in parts of Salford and Oldham. Greenfield and Uppermill in Oldham recorded the cleanest air, although pollution there remained above recommended levels. Asthma + Lung UK described the figures as unacceptable and called for legally binding air-quality targets aligned with WHO guidelines. The government said it is pursuing measures intended to reduce harmful-particle exposure by nearly a third by 2030.