The air quality around a Barkingside roundabout – which is a stone’s throw away from three schools – needs to be tackled, a community group chairman has warned.

During a meeting of area committee four on Tuesday, John Sharrock quoted research by charity Sustrans, which he said showed pollution levels at Fullwell Cross roundabout are the second worst in London.

The Barkingside 21 chairman urged councillors to act quickly to remedy the problem.

He was told the Mayor of London has set aside money to help councils across the capital improve air quality, which Redbridge is preparing a bid for.

But Mr Sharrock was left frustrated after being told area four could not consider the issue because the roundabout is not inside any of its three wards.

Speaking at the meeting in Sinclair House, Woodford Bridge Road, Redbridge, council leader Cllr Keith Prince said: “We should ask for a report to go to area three.

“We can’t know what the factors are. Area three can consider that and make recommendations to us and the GLA [Greater London Authority] as do what we can do.”

The next area three meeting is on May 22, but council officers could not guarantee a report would be ready in time for their meeting, with Mr Sharrock hitting out at the lack of “urgency”.