Cycle or walk, charity urges parents

PARENTS could save a collective £2 billion a year if they ditched the school run and accompanied children to lessons on foot or by bicycle, says a transport charity.

On average, each set of parents could reduce costs by £642 a year if they did not use their car to ferry their offspring to and from school, said Sustrans.

Around 11 million journeys a day are made between home and school, while, on average, primary school children live 1.8 miles from school, which is a 25-minute brisk walk, or 15-minute bike ride.

But Sustrans added that nearly half (44%) of primary school children are driven to school, with only 2% cycling.

A separate recent study from Goodyear suggested that parents regard the safety of their children as the primary reason to drive instead of cycling or walking.

Sustrans said that physical activity among young people is at an all-time low, citing statistics that 28% show of children under 16 are now overweight or obese.

Sustrans policy and campaigns head Claire Francis said: "There are massive financial and health benefits both to children and to parents in choosing to cycle, scoot or walk to school, instead of drive.

"With lots of people feeling the pinch, leaving the car at home can be a cheaper and more enjoyable way to the school gates."

She went on: "We know that safety is a concern for some parents so to encourage more people to leave the car at home we want the Government to do more to encourage parents to cycle and walk to school by introducing reduced speeds and better infrastructure."

By Peter Woodman, Press Association Transport Correspondent