Cars first sold before 2005 will be subject to a new £10 pollution charge when driving in central London from 2017.

This would be in addition to the Congestion Charge and was just one of the new measures announced by city mayor Sadiq Khan as he laid out his plans to cut air pollution in the capital.

These also included introducing the central London Ultra Low Emission Zone a year earlier, in 2019, before expanding its reach in 2020.

Additionally, only hybrid or zero emission double-decker buses will be purchased by Transport for London from 2018 as the mayor attempts to clean up London’s bus fleet.

Any buses, coaches and trucks driving in the capital also will have to meet Euro 6 diesel standard by 2020 or face a £100 daily charge in what Mr Khan has labelled “the toughest crackdown on the most polluting vehicles by any major city around the world”.

Almost 10,000 Londoners die early due in part to air pollution, according to research from Kings College London, and Brexit “could weaken Britain’s ability to tackle air pollution”, added the London mayor, who campaigned for the UK to remain in the EU.

He commented: “Pollution clearly doesn’t respect borders. Pollution from Europe blows across London when the wind is right, and our pollution blows over European cities too.

“The public will end up with less legal protection over their right to breathe clean air.”