Accelerating or decelerating too quickly can lead to inefficient driving and more fuel consumption, which can in turn lead to harmful emissions being released into the environment unnecessarily, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has announced.

NICE is a UK-based special health authority that offers national guidance and advice to improve health and social care.

NICE guideline committee chair Paul Lincoln said: “Traffic-related air pollution is a major risk to the publics’ health and contributes to health inequalities.

“The NICE guidance sets out a strategic range of evidence based practical measures to encourage low or zero emissions transport.

"This is very timely given the imperative to meet EU and national air quality standards.”

NICE has urged businesses and transport services to educate their transport staff about ‘smooth’ driving skills, such as avoiding hard accelerations or decelerations and turning their engine off when at a standstill.

NICE director of the centre for guidelines Mark Baker said: “The battle against air pollution has to be one we are all fully committed to.

“This draft guidance seeks to redesign how we work and live in cities.

"When finalised, its recommendations will ensure that everyone who has the power to make the changes required can be confident in the action they are taking.”

"This is very timely given the imperative to meet EU and national air quality standards."

According to NICE, road traffic causes more than 64% of air pollution in urban areas, which also costs the UK up to £18.6bn annually. Getting exposed to the air pollution either for short-term and long-term could significantly impact human health.

The harmful emissions and the environmental risks associated with pollution have led to nearly 25,000 deaths annually in England.

The NICE draft guidance suggests that local councils place buildings away from busy roads when drafting town or city plans.

Image: Buses and cars in London. Photo: courtesy of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.