CHILDREN in Bournemouth are above the national average when it comes to being ferried to and from school in their family cars, say transport bosses at the council.

The revelation coincides with the start yesterday of National Walk to School Week to try and persuade parents and kids living within walking distance of their schools to ditch four wheels and use leg power instead.

All primary schools within the borough will be supporting the campaign by raising awareness among pupils, and information gathered will be used in the local transport plan.

But this is only half the battle, claim council chiefs, because it is parents who also need to be convinced of the need to change their ways.

During the last 20 years the proportion of children travelling to school by car has almost doubled.

In Bournemouth 48 per cent of primary and 30 per cent of secondary children are driven to school.

The national average is 41 per cent for primary and 24 per cent of secondary.

Ian Selby, school travel planning co-ordinator, said: "We need to target pupils and parents who live close enough to the school to walk and currently don't. Obviously children living further away from the school will be travelling in by bus or by car.

"We need to bring about a change in the home to school travel patterns to cut congestion and pollution, allowing more pupils to take regular exercise."

Childhood obesity has more than doubled since the 1980s, he said.

"The school run causes congestion, pollution and road safety issues. If families and pupils were able to walk more frequently then our local communities would experience environmental and health benefits," he added.

Research by insurance firm More Than claims that a ten per cent reduction in school runs nationally would prevent 190 deaths and injuries each year.

Poole has been selected by the Living Streets initiative as one of nine areas nationally where children will be promoting walking for healthy bodies.

Pupils from St Aldhelm's Combined will walk to school carrying a giant jigsaw to create in their playground the picture of a skeleton.

First published: May 24