The health of pupils at eleven West London schools is being put at serious risk by illegal levels of pollution from motor vehicles, a Mayor of London report has revealed.

Councillors in Hounslow are now demanding more is done to protect pupils at the three Chiswick primary schools mentioned in the GLA report, who are having to breath air that contains dangerous levels of Carbon Monoxide and Nitrogen Oxides.

A major study of 50 schools produced by the Mayor of London's office which reported in March, showed that St Mary's Catholic Primary School, William Hogarth Primary School and Cavendish Primary all suffered from dangerously high levels of pollution, mainly caused by their proximity to major roads including the A4 and A316.

Campaigners including Brentford & Isleworth MP Ruth Cadbury and parents in the St Mary's Air Pollution Group, have demanded action is taken to protect the pupils.

At a Hounslow Council meeting on June 26, John Todd, Conservative councillor for Chiswick Homefields, demanded to know what the Labour-run council is doing on the back of the report to help the schools and demanded more funding to support them.

He said: "The UK has the highest prevalence of childhood asthma. It’s very important that the school environment protects children’s health and does not increase exposure to air pollution. School aged children are more vulnerable to air borne pollutants than adults.

"The exposure of children’s developing lungs to air pollution can result in reduced lung function that persists to adulthood, increasing susceptibility to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

"The GLA reports, yet again, amongst other things, confirm the need for robust action by the London Borough of Hounslow to address this ongoing issue. Will the lead member explain why to date nothing has been done nor funding provided to address this issue and assuage serious concerns especially by parents for the life-long health of their children?”

Lead member for the environment, Katherine Dunne, outlined a raft of measures the council is supporting to help the schools but did not commit to more funding.

She said: "The council is doing lots of things to address these concerns. It's absolutely right to say that the schools do suffer from unacceptable levels of air pollution at certain times.

"Officers are continually in communication with representatives from the schools. Enhanced monitoring is being carried out around the schools. We're looking at other schools to find out what they've done in similar situations and we're working with the schools to increase awareness with poster campaigns and we're engaging with parents."

She said the council is supporting a shift from car use to other forms of transport and looking at developing dedicated cycle lanes to schools, improving pedestrian routes and supporting car clubs and consulting in bringing in more electric car charging points and higher financial penalties for diesel cars using controlled parking zones.

Bur Mr Todd said funding was the key issue as, despite the fact the mayor has promised £10,000 to each school in the study to help them battle pollution, St Mary's has estimated that some £70,000 will be needed.

St Mary's Catholic Primary School in Chiswick was found to be affected by dangerous levels of air pollution.
St Mary's Catholic Primary School

He said: "These three schools were identified as being three of the most highly polluted in London. They are dangerous.

"The schools want money and many other boroughs are providing funding for them.

"St Mary's has a £70,000 plan to improve things and needs funding. My question is, what are you going to do about it?"

At St Mary's, the GLA report found 47,300 vehicles travel on the core roads within a 200m radius of the school each day.

It found the heavily-trafficked A4, with large numbers of coaches and HGVs, is adjacent to all three playgrounds, that outside the school entrance on Duke Road, there is undesirable parking and drop-off/pick-up activity, with road safety and idling issues from cars turning around in close proximity to many children.

The colours on this map show how close St Mary's, marked as a star, is to the most polluted sections of road:

Title: Air quality modelling around St Mary\'s School. Pitcture: Mayor of London. Clear for use by all BBC newswire partners.
Description: Air quality modelling around St Mary\'s School. Picture: Mayor of London. Clear for use by all BBC newswire partners.
Air quality modelling around St Mary's School

It found there was limited screening around the most exposed areas such as the nursery and playgrounds. The heating system and the two main gas boilers were found to be old and inefficient and the only ventilation at the school is by opening windows and doors, thus exposing pupils to noise and
air pollution.

At William Hogarth Primary School, it noted that the Early Years classrooms and playgrounds are located at the most polluted southern end of the school site because it sits so close to the A4 and that some 26,000 vehicles per day travel on the core roads within a 200m radius of the school.

At Cavendish Primary, 13,000 vehicles per day travel on the core roads within a 200m radius of the school. The worst exposure was found to be at the north-western corner of the school site close to the A316.

Andrea Carnevali, from the St Mary's Air Pollution Group, said: "We welcome the report however the results of the audit at St Mary’s prove that action needs to be taken immediately to resolve the toxic air pollution in and around the school.

"Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of bad air as their lungs develop so we are calling on the council to access funding from the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund to immediately put in place measures to lower the illegal levels of Carbon Monoxide and Nitrogen Oxides as identified in the report."

A report into 50 schools was prepared by the Mayor of London's office.
A report into 50 schools was prepared by the Mayor of London's office.

Consultants WSP, who carried out the audit, made recommendations to reduce emissions and exposure. They include encouraging 'no idling' schemes to stop drivers sitting in cars outside schools with their engines on, planning green walls and barriers of bushes and shrubs alongside busy roads, improving road systems in the area and encouraging pupils to walk to school along less polluted routes.

A key part of the campaign is also to try to make sure the Mayor’s proposal for expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) - which will see higher emission vehicles charged penalties, to extend as far as the A4 or at least to cover the area around the schools.

The full list of West London schools covered by the report is given below. You can read the reports online at: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/pollution-and-air-quality/mayors-school-air-quality-audit-programme#acc-i-52548

Ark Priory Academy (Ealing)

Ark Franklin Primary Academy (Brent)

Cavendish Primary School (Hounslow)

Christ the Saviour CofE Primary School (Ealing)

East Sheen Primary School (Richmond upon Thames)

John Keble CofE Primary School (Brent)

Melcombe Primary School (Hammersmith and Fulham)

St Paul's CofE Primary School (Hammersmith and Fulham)

St Stephen's CofE Primary School (Richmond)

St Mary's Catholic Primary School (Hounslow)

The William Hogarth Primary School (Hounslow)