Parents are being urged not to use their cars for the school run when pupils in Scotland start returning on 11 August.

Scotland’s active health commissioner, Lee Craigie, has joined with other organisations to promote healthy travel to school as pupils return after being away for nearly five months.

Mr Craigie said that driving children to school is one of the biggest false economies. Sustrans, Cycling Scotland, Living Streets, Paths for All and Forth Environment Link are calling on children to walk, cycle or scooter to school instead.

Background: Call to cut pollution by banning cars ‘idling’ near schools

Survey: Most teachers ‘support car-free roads outside schools’

School run: Roads are too dangerous for pupils to walk to school, say parents

Research: Classroom air filters improve test results, study finds

“By removing the simple daily pleasure of walking, cycling or wheeling to school, we miss the opportunity to instil in our kids patterns of everyday active behaviour that will improve and prolong their lives,” Mr Craigie said.

Lynn Stocks, Sustrans Scotland head of behaviour change, said: “After months of break from routine, the journey to school is a chance to get a bit of regular daily exercise for both children and their guardians.”

She added: “Our streets cannot afford more congestion and air pollution, and our children cannot afford more inactivity after months of homeschooling.

“This is a chance to make a positive change to the way our children travel to school, to make it safer and healthier for everyone.”

A survey from Hands Up Scotland in June found that the number of pupils being driven to school was at a record high in 2019. Air pollution near schools is a particular cause of concern, especially for respiratory health.

Embedding healthy behaviours

Professor Steve Turner, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health’s officer for Scotland, said: “In preparing our State of Child Health 2020 report, we asked children and young people in Scotland what keeps them ‘healthy, happy and well’, and at the top of the list was exercise.

“In Scotland, more than 22 per cent of our four and five-year-olds are overweight or obese. We know that obese children are more likely to become obese adults with increased risk of developing a range of other health conditions.

“We also know that asthma is one of the leading cause of hospital admissions for our children and young people.”

Professor Turner added: ”Encouraging families to walk, cycle or scoot to school will not only reduce air pollution, but it will also embed healthy behaviours in our children and young people, which in turn will help to prevent ill health.”