PARENTS and children across Worcestershire are being encouraged to take to the streets and walk to school this week.

The UK charity for everyday walking, Living Streets, is calling on families to celebrate the benefits of walking during the annual Walk to School Week from May 15 to May 19.

The organisation says a generation-long decline in the number of children walking to primary school means just 47 per cent, rather than 70 per cent 25 years ago, of youngsters are taking to the pavements when they go to school.

The Government has now recognised the value of walking to school and has set a national target aiming to get 55 per cent of children getting to school on foot by 2025.

Living Streets believes walking to school makes children feel happier and healthier, while reducing congestion and pollution outside school gates.

This year’s campaign comes at a time when one in three children leaving primary school is overweight or obese and just one in five children has the recommended daily amount of exercise.

Tanya Braun, from Living Streets, said: “Walking to school is a great way for children to start the day. It’s good for physical and mental health and gives children a chance to get fresh air and experience nature too.

“With today’s reliance on technology, getting outside in the morning for a walk can be relaxing and stimulate our minds and results in children arriving at school fit, refreshed and ready to learn.”

The charity is also using the campaign to call on city leaders to prioritise making school walking routes safer.

Its latest research found that 30 per cent of parents living in the UK’s biggest cities believe their city is too unsafe for children to walk to school.

Previous research shows nearly 60 per cent of parents are worried about speeding cars outside schools and a third are worried about their child’s safety because of overcrowding outside the school gates, while 82 per cent of parents think there should be more schemes to make the walk to school safer and easier.

The charity wants to see 20 mph speed limits and safety crossings near schools. Joe Irvin, chief executive officer of Living Streets, said: “We know that a lot of parents avoid walking to school because of high levels of traffic outside the school gates.

“The more of us walking to school, the safer conditions will be. So this week we’re asking families to give walking a go for Walk to School Week.”

Frances Howie, director of Public Health at Worcestershire County Council, said: "It is really important to build physical activity into our everyday lives if we want to be healthy and doing more walking is an easy way to get fitter. 

“Many schools already do fantastic health promotion work during this week, encouraging their students to walk, and I would really support them.  Over time, the numbers of children and young people who walk to school have reduced significantly, and there are serious health consequence to becoming more and more sedentary. 

“I hope that there will be a lot of interest in national walk to school week in Worcestershire this year, and that we will see longer term changes in walking habits too."