A nursery in Haringey will take part in an air quality audit as part of a trial to reduce toxic air levels in the capital.

Pembury House Nursery School in Tottenham will receive an air quality audit to monitor indoor and outdoor pollution levels as part of a trial by the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to help stop children being exposed to air pollution.

In response to the news London Assembly for Haringey, Joanne McCartney, said: “We know that poor air quality has a detrimental effect on children’s health and so I welcome the Mayor’s latest initiative to protect our youngest children.

“These audits will help in identifying the ways that we can tackle poor air quality inside and outside of the classroom and ensure that the health of some of the most vulnerable children, and the next generation of Londoners, is protected.”

The air quality audits will take place in 20 schools across the capital in boroughs including Newham, Camden and Westminster.

The trials will focus on reducing toxic gases such as nitrous oxide which make children more likely to grow up with lung problems and develop asthma.

The audits will look at a range of methods to reduce air pollution outside nurseries including restricting road access outside entrances; moving playgrounds away from congested roads and promoting cycling and walking.

As part of the programme there is a ring-fenced grant of £4,500 for the 20 nurseries to start some of the recommendations resulting from the audits.

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

“Now it is high time the Government stepped up and matched my ambition by delivering a new Clean Air and Environment Act and introducing the scrappage scheme we need to remove the dirtiest vehicles off our streets once and for all.”