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Campaigners fed up with the "havoc" and pollution of the daily private school run are starting their own coach service for children in north London.

They will run three buses from next week, mainly for privately educated pupils who travel in and out of Hampstead every day.

The wealthy neighbourhood, home to celebrities including Jamie Oliver, Harry Styles and Ricky Gervais, has about 45 schools with up to 12,000 pupils.

Most are private, which means they do not have catchment areas and parents often need to drive their children long distances — resulting in roads clogged with vehicles.

Parents say the notorious Hampstead school run makes the air "unbreathable" and highlight Fitzjohn’s Avenue as a traffic hotspot.

Residents fed up with the jams have formed a campaign group, NW3 Green School Runs, to fight toxic air and take hundreds of vehicles off the streets. So far 1,000 children have signed up to the service, with 15 schools backing it.

Campaigner Valeria Pensabene, 44, a mother-of-two, said: "It’s a hilltop village with winding roads and most of them are cobbled or narrow.

"They are really not designed for a lot of traffic. When the school year starts havoc descends on Hampstead.

"Everyone was commenting how beautiful it was the week before [term started] but afterwards it was horrible and the air was unbreathable."

City worker Yoni Jacobs, 43, a father-of-three, said: "It’s not just the traffic and stress, but also the damage it’s doing pollution-wise to the environment and the children.

"The kids who walk to school understand because they see the roads completely clogged up and they can smell it. Everyone can see the problem. Rather than moaning we wanted to provide alternative solutions."

Up to 45 children are expected to take part in the trial’s first week, with three routes from Highgate, Queen’s Park and Finchley running to and from stops near schools in Hampstead each morning and afternoon.

Parents can book tickets, which cost about £7.30 a day, via an app from start-up Zeelo. Each bus will have a professional chaperone as well as a driver.

Campaigners say one 30-seater bus will remove about 15 to 20 cars from the school run. The trial will run until July 5.

Local MP Tulip Siddiq called the initiative "impressive", adding: "It is an ambitious way to get kids active, reduce congestion, and most importantly reduce air pollution."