The European Court of Justice yesterday ruled that the government must take action to tackle air pollution — and MPs, peers and campaigners are demanding a public inquiry into the issue.

Air pollution in Britain is killing 29,000 people a year — more than the combined total of deaths from traffic accidents and passive smoking.

Campaigners say that Oxford Street in London is one of the most air-polluted streets in the world.

The government was taken to the European Court by environmental campaign group Client Earth.

The court’s ruling is its first on the effect of a European Union air-quality directive and lays down how British courts should deal with the issue.

The directive requires member states that do meet air quality limits to draw up plans to achieve them in the “shortest time possible.”

Air pollution, particularly from diesel fumes, has direct links to heart attacks and asthma.

Last week John McDonnell, left Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington, wrote to the chair of the Commons environmental audit committee calling for a public inquiry into air pollution in Britain.

The letter was signed by 25 MPs and peers.

Mr McDonnell said: “Despite Britain having one of the worst records of any European country for exceeding EU air pollution limits our government has failed to take meaningful action.”

Dave Davies of the Campaign for an Air Pollution Public Inquiry added: “Thousands of deaths continue each year because of the current and previous failed air quality strategies.”

It comes as the UN warned that the world’s carbon emissions will have to be cut to zero in around half a century to avoid dangerous climate change.