MAKING people pay for driving inside the North Circular could mean more pollution around schools in Redbridge and Waltham Forest, a study claims.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan wants to introduce an ultra-low emissions zone (ULEZ) in central London to deter people from driving high emission vehicles and contributing to the capital’s "appalling" air quality.

After plans come into force for the congestion charge zone in 2019, the Mayor wants to expand restrictions to cover all vehicles within the North and South Circular ring roads by 2021.

But a study carried out by opposition Assembly Members at City Hall suggests the plans could concentrate traffic around the A406, making pollution levels worse in outer London boroughs like Redbridge and Waltham Forest.

Researchers claim after the congestion charge was introduced to central London in 2003, the area just outside the zone saw a 10 per cent increase in poisonous nitrogen dioxide levels.

They fear the same could happen on the outskirts of the North Circular in 2021, which would mean more dangerous fumes around schools like Chapel End Junior Academy, Wanstead High, Cranbrook Primary, and Nightingale Primary School.

Conservative Assembly Member for Havering and Redbridge Keith Prince said: “Any increase in emissions in Redbridge as a result of this needless expansion is unacceptable – particularly around schools.

“The Mayor’s own figures show this expansion would have a negligible positive impact and instead cluster traffic in outer London.

“This policy will have a far bigger impact on the health and bank balances of people in Redbridge than it will on air quality – it needs a re-think.”

But Mr Khan claims the measures are the only way to improve the capital’s “lethal" air quality.

He added: “The scale of our air quality challenge is so big that I want to expand the ULEZ up to the North and South Circular roads from 2021.

“These measures will help improve the air that millions of Londoners breathe.”

To find out more about the proposals, see the Transport for London website.