AIR pollution levels around Glasgow's super hospital are to be monitored.

The council will install equipment near the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital to assess the levels of harmful nitrogen dioxide.

The move came after residents and councillors raised concerns over the amount of buses travelling to and from the hospital.

Figures released by Friends of the Earth last year showed air pollution was responsible for more than 300 deaths a year in Glasgow - more than obesity and traffic accidents.

Councillor Martha Wardrop contacted council bosses to ask if anyone was monitoring the air quality around the hospital.

She said: "Residents have expressed concern about air pollution and emissions generated from an increase in the number of buses going to and from the Southern General Hospital.

"There's also an increase in the number of taxis and other vehicles.

"We need to be able to monitor the levels of air pollution. This will assess levels of Nitrogen Dioxide from road traffic including buses and the data gathered will be reported back to councillors in future reports on air quality."

However, campaigners said more needs to be done to tackle air pollution.

Emilia Hanna, of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “The council’s recent installation of air pollution monitors is in danger of being nothing more than a token gesture unless it combines it with a range of actions to reduce air pollution.

"It should use its existing powers to tackle vehicle idling outside the hospital, and require low emissions buses on that route, and work towards a Low Emission Zone in the city.

"The council’s Local Transport Strategy is now years out of date and needs to be revised to put clean air at the heart of transport policy.

“Many people in the Southern General will be suffering from conditions which may well be exacerbated by Glasgow’s air pollution.

"The city’s toxic fumes are responsible for hundreds of early deaths every year, with air pollution linked to heart attacks, strokes, and asthma attacks.

“The Council must get at the root cause of the problem rather than just monitoring the problem and taking no further action.”

Councillor Alistair Watson, executive member for sustainability and transport, said: “We are arranging for monitoring equipment to placed close to the hospital to assess the levels of Nitrogen Dioxide.

"We will monitor it for at least a year.

"Can I thank Councillor Wardrop for supporting the administrations robust action to tackle this issue.

"We take a very serious attitude to increased levels of nitrogen dioxide and will continue to do so.”