A pop-up poster campaign has hit 20 primary schools in Merton in a bid to persuade parents to ditch their cars in favour of active travel.

Volunteers from the campaign group Mums for Lungs, launched their 'guerilla campaign' on Monday (July 13).

Five different poster designs will encourage parents and children to walk, cycle or scoot to school when classes resume in September.

In just two weeks of launching the campaign, 105 people have asked for over 1150 posters, representing over 20 London boroughs.

Your Local Guardian:

Mums for Lungs are campaigning for road closures, pop-up cycle lanes and other measures to encourage families to keep up the good habits after the summer holidays.

Public Health England estimates, between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths a year can be attributed to long-term exposure.

There is strong evidence that air pollution causes the development of coronary heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease and lung cancer, and exacerbates asthma.

Jane Dutton, a representative for Mums for Lungs said:

“Half of the air pollution in London is from traffic and air pollution is severely and irreversibly damaging children's health.

"We have suggested to Government that they run a public health campaign many times - as they are not doing it, we are trying our best to help people realise the way they travel has an impact.

Your Local Guardian:

"Now, more than ever, with possible links between air pollution and Covid-19 transmission, we all need to make sure our travel choices are as non-polluting as possible.”

Daniela Tilbrook, representative of Merton Lung for Mums, said: "I wanted to help out with the campaign as we must get away from car use dependency.

" Lockdown showed us a world with cleaner air and less pollution.

"We are in a climate crisis and we must reduce emissions and transport is a massive contributor to those emissions.

"We must all work collectively to ensure our children have a future."

Posters can be found outside:

-Merton Abbey

-Garfield

-Pelham

-Holy Trinity

-Priory Bishop

-Gilpin

-Wimbledon Park

-St Mary’s

-Dundonald primary

-Wimbledon Chase

-Joseph Hood

-Poplar

-Singlegate

-All saints

-Liberty

-Bond primary school

- St Marks

-St Thomas of Canterbury

-Cricket Green

-Haslemere