West Dorset District Council has come under fire for not doing enough to reduce pollution levels in Dorchester.

Town councillors have accused the district council of relying on a transport scheme that has been delayed and they claim may not even happen.

The Dorchester Transport and Environment Plan (DTEP) proposes a one way system through High West Street to improve traffic flow in the town but Dorset County Council recently agreed to delay the project by two years until 2014 in wake of recent funding cuts.

The district council is responsible for pollution levels in the town and has been tasked with drawing up an action plan to reduce pollution in High West Street and High East Street after levels were found to be in breach of EU regulations in 2009.

Environmental health officer for West Dorset District Council Graham Duggan addressed Dorchester Town Council’s planning and environment committee after they raised concerns that DTEP was the only significant aspect of its action plan and was not due to start for some time.

Mr Duggan said pollution levels had actually reduced in the town last year and were now only just over the EU limit.

However, he added: “We are still hoping the DTEP scheme will go ahead and, as levels are only just over the limit at the moment, when DTEP does happen I really expect the Air Quality Management Area will be revoked.”

Mr Duggan said that in the meantime they could encourage people to change their travel habits and look at other options such as signage encouraging heavy vehicles to avoid the town centre. However he said these measures would have nothing like the impact of DTEP.

He told councillors: “To be honest with you, it’s playing at the margins.”

Councillor Susie Hosford described DTEP as a ‘red herring’ as it was not guaranteed and urged the district council to look at more significant alternatives.

She said: “My huge concern is it is no use clinging to DTEP, we have no guarantee DTEP will happen.

“I just don’t feel this is a satisfactory response.

“There are a surprising number of people who actually live in that area, there are people who come every day to work in the shops and they are very concerned.”

Coun Hosford added: “I think we are being virtually fraudulent by saying DTEP is going to solve it. Coun Molly Rennie proposed a meeting of all stakeholders in the area to look at what other measures could be taken to address pollution levels, a proposal backed by the committee.

She said: “We are not going to solve this with DTEP, we know.

“I would be surprised if we see DTEP in the near future.

“We need to move forward as a partnership and deal with the traffic problems.”