Bristol is to become the first UK city to ban diesel cars from its streets as part of action to tackle illegal levels of air pollution.

The city council voted on Tuesday, following a public consultation, to impose a total ban on all privately owned diesel vehicles during the day in the city centre. The scheme, which still needs government approval, is due to start in 2021.

Bristol is one of several cities with illegal levels of air pollution from diesel traffic. The UK government has been ordered by the courts to bring air pollution levels down to legal limits in the shortest possible time.

The central ban zone in Bristol, from which privately owned diesel cars will be banned between 7am and 3pm, includes part of the M32, the old city, Redcliffe, Spike Island, the Harbourside and part of Hotwells.

Q&A How does air pollution affect the human body? Show Air pollution has been described as the ‘new tobacco’ by the head of the World Health Organization. Over 90% of the world’s population suffers toxic air and research is increasingly revealing the profound impacts on the health of people, especially children. Children and babies’ developing bodies are most at risk from toxic air, with 300 million living in places where toxic fumes are six times above the international guidelines.

A comprehensive global review found that air pollution may be damaging every organ and virtually every cell in the human body. It causes issues from heart and lung disease to diabetes and dementia, and from liver problems and bladder cancer to brittle bones and damaged skin. The systemic damage is the result of pollutants causing inflammation that then floods through the body, and from ultrafine particles being carried around the body by the bloodstream. A Canadian study recently linked air pollution nanoparticles to brain cancer for first time In the UK, while deaths attributed to air pollution have halved in the last four decades, most urban areas have illegal levels of air pollution. One in 20 deaths in the UK is still attributable to small particle pollution alone.

Damian Carrington, Environment editor

Under the plans all vehicles except taxis and emergency services will incur fines if they enter the banned area, while commercial vehicles will have to pay to enter the area. A number plate recognition system will be used, similar to the one for London’s congestion charge.

The council agreed a business proposal for the idea on Tuesday, but details of what the fines would be, and which categories of vehicles and people might be exempt from the ban, are yet to be decided.

Bristol has long had poor air quality, particularly from high levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) released by diesel vehicles. It is one of 36 out of 43 local authorities in England and Wales where toxic air breaches legal limits.

UK air pollution causes an estimated 23,500 early deaths every year from NO2, rising to 40,000 when other pollutants are considered.

Bristol has gone further than the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, who has imposed clean air zones and levies in the capital to reduce air pollution.

The government has lost several legal challenges over its failure to bring toxic air down to legal limits.