Sadiq Khan has joined the children of Greenwich as they fight to cut air pollution outside schools.

Yesterday morning (March 19) the Mayor of London launched a new project at Haimo Primary School in Eltham, which will monitor the amount of air pollution outside schools.

Mr Khan has been funding a study that will use state-of-the-art toxic air monitoring backpacks for schoolchildren, to help monitor and better understand the levels of toxic air young Londoners are exposed to during their journeys to school and in the classroom.

There are currently 250 pupils across five boroughs taking part in the project, wearing specially adapted backpacks to and from school for a week.

The Mayor as well as Greenwich council leader Danny Thorpe took the journey to school with Haimo student, Razine, who wore one of the special backpacks.

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The data collected will allow King’s College London scientists to analyse at which point of their journey to school, children are exposed to the most pollution.

As well as hosting one of the new Breathe London fixed monitors, Haimo was also one of 50 schools involved in the Mayor’s air quality audits programme last year.

The school has already started implementing recommendations to improve air quality by providing walking route maps and delivering energy-efficiency measures to reduce the school’s air quality footprint.

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Greenwich borough has also turned the road outside the school into a ‘school street’, which means it is closed to traffic at the start and end of the day.

Cllr Thorpe said: “I was a primary school teacher before becoming leader of the council, so I know how worried parents are about air quality and road safety.

"Even though most children live within walking distance of their school, the roads are still choked with cars every morning and afternoon, which is dangerous for everyone.”

In April of this year the Mayor is expanding London's ultra-low emissions zone, at first in central London and by 2021 all the way to the South Circular.

This means that on top of the congestion charge you will also have to pay £12.50 a day to travel around London if you car does not meet the correct standards.

READ MORE: London's ultra-low emission zone to extend to South Circular

In Greenwich, Mr Khan said: “It remains a shameful fact that London's toxic air is harming the lung growth and health of our young children, and City Hall is determined to do everything in our power to protect them.

“An issue this large and complex requires bold and innovative action to protect future generations and ensure our children inherit cleaner, healthier air.

"I’m proud that we’re able to launch world leading studies like this which will help us find new ways to reduce children’s exposure to toxic air. I hope the success of this scheme will act as a blueprint for cities around the world as they battle their own toxic air emergencies."