People told to be more optimistic about walking times
People have been advised to be more optimistic about the time it will take to walk places.
People have been advised to be more optimistic about the time it will take to walk places and not use bad estimates as an excuse to get into their cars.
Living Streets, a charity that campaigns to create better streets and public spaces for people on foot, made the claim, backing it up its overall message that the UK relies too heavily on cars.
The study found that over-dependence on cars combined with parental inactivity is influencing children negatively in terms of independence, confidence and physical wellbeing.
Researchers found that children of active parents are 68 per cent more likely to walk to school than children of inactive parents, i.e. those who depend on their cars at all times.
Perhaps most worrying of all, the report found that today just 50 per cent of primary school pupils walk or cycle to school, compared with 75 per cent a generation ago.
What is more, one in five parents said that they "very rarely walk anywhere" these days. Children of parents with this kind of attitude are 20 per cent more likely to favour indoor activities and sedentary play than going outside and being active.
However, nearly a third of parents were found to be trying to tackle this problem by ensuring that they walk or cycle when they can.
Tony Armstrong of Living Streets said: "As a society we are really valuing convenience and what that means for most people is a natural instinct to pick up the car keys and drive your kids to school.
"The message we are giving that walking to school is easier than you think."
He added that by encouraging children to walk to school parents will ingrain this activity into their daily lives and help them see it as a viable way of getting around.
Using cars less is not just important for the environment, but also for children's health. Research conducted by Datamonitor has found that 35 per cent of European kids aged between five and 13 will be overweight or obese by 2012.
Rosie Swale-Pope is another fitness fan who is urging children to get off the couch, out of the car and walk to school.
The health expert gained fame when she decided to run around the world to raise money for the Prostate Cancer Charity when her second husband, Clive, 73, died of prostate cancer in 2002.
She said: "I really I don’t think it's anybody’s fault that people use the car: people are busy.
"But it is a hazard that has to be avoided. [Walking] teaches children to interact with people and also to be streetwise."
