Dartford has the second highest hospital admissions for asthma in Kent as a new report reveals the Dartford Crossing is significantly over EU guidelines for pollution.

The council’s monitoring data shows pollution thresholds at the crossing, which carries 50 million vehicles a year, exceed targets.

Dartford also had the highest fraction of mortality attributable to particulate air pollution.

A report going to the policy overview committee at Dartford Council shows the A282 was not included in the government's draft air quality plan despite assurances from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) that it would be.

This follows an oversight that meant pollution data was not monitored by the government because the road was classified as rural.

Research shows Dartford had the second highest hospital admissions for asthma between 2012 and 2015 and the highest number of hospital admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

In the report, it reads: “The air quality plan states that nationally there are 10 roads on the strategic road network where EU thresholds are predicted to be exceeded; the A282 in Dartford is not identified as one of these."

Defra confirmed to News Shopper the Dartford Crossing was included in its plans.

A spokesman said: "The majority of local authority monitoring stations are not part of Defra's national monitoring network as they do not meet the stringent standards of the European legislation."

Labour’s shadow chairwoman on the committee, Councillor Daisy Page, expressed her concerns over the lack of clarity surrounding the A282.

She said: “The data in this report shows that air pollution levels in Dartford remain unacceptably high, the link between poor air quality and health issues is well established and data shows that there is a correlation between proximity to the Dartford Crossing and hospital admissions for asthma and chronic heart disease.

“The government delayed naming the location of the Lower Thames Crossing – we now need to make sure they push forward with construction as quickly as we’ve heard nothing on progress since the announcement was made."

It was announced earlier this year the Lower Thames Crossing would be built east of Gravesend, a decision welcomed by Dartford MP Gareth Johnson and council leader Jeremy Kite.

Mr Johnson said at the time: “This is possibly the most significant decision affecting Dartford in a generation. It is not only the right decision for Dartford but also for the whole country.

"It would have been catastrophic for Dartford if we had lost this argument."

Thousands backed a petition earlier this year to scrap the new crossing because of pollution fears.

Campaigners have called for a tram system to be built between Dartford and Essex in hopes of decreasing pollution and easing congestion by 10 per cent.