Half of parents drive their child to school despite living within walking distance, poll claims

'Road transport remains the largest source of toxic air in the UK so reducing car travel is a major part of the solution'

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Half of parents surveyed for a new poll said they could walk their child to school but opt for a car instead.

Safety concerns and time constraints were two of the main reasons given by 50 per cent of the 2,000 respondents, three in 10 of whom said they wanted to head directly to work after the school run.

But 28 per cent believed they could also walk their work commute.

The poll found the average respondent lived two miles from their child’s school, with the drive taking 13 minutes.

If covered on foot, parents estimated the walk would take 23 minutes. More than half admitted they drove short journeys out of habit.

“Our research shows the people living in the country’s most polluted towns and cities need their leaders to act on toxic air and remove the barriers to people leaving the car behind," said Dr Alison Cook, director of external affairs for British Lung Foundation, which commissioned the survey to mark World Car Free Day on 22 September.

"Children are among those most at risk as their little lungs are still growing, and toxic air can stunt this growth."

She added: “Road transport remains the largest source of toxic air in the UK so reducing car travel is a major part of the solution. To make this happen we need our politicians to set ambitious new legal targets to reach safer levels of pollution by 2030 as well as far more investment in cleaner transport options."

SWNS