THE true extent of pupil laziness among Bournemouth's children is now being assessed to coincide with National Walk to School Week, which begins today.

In some of the Bournemouth schools that have already completed the local education authority questionnaires, it has been found that up to 82 per cent of the youngsters are ferried there by car.

"We need to get parents and pupils walking," said Ian Selby, the town's school travel plan co-ordinator, who will be collating the pupil questionnaires which will then be incorporated into the council's Local Transport Plan.

"The school run accounts for one in ten cars on the roads in urban areas, and 17 per cent of these vehicles are taking children to school at the peak time of 8.50am."

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

But child obesity in the same period has more than doubled.

"If families and pupils were able to walk occasionally then our local communities would experience environmental and health benefits associated with fewer vehicles on the road," said Ian.

Walk to School Week is a national campaign to raise awareness of the problem.

Many local schools have eagerly embraced the issue in recent years, organising walking buses for their pupils, installing cycling facilities and encouraging youngsters to get on their bikes.

Now all have to compile a school travel plan.

Lytchett Matravers Primary headteacher Mike Randall said: "We're going to launch an incentive for pupils that works like Tesco tokens in reverse.

"Distances away from the school have been divided into zones, rather like those in London, and the children will receive special stickers for the furthest away they walk.

"When they collect a certain number of stickers they will receive an award."

A spokesperson from Poole LEA says that on average 44 per cent of children in the borough are taken to school by car.

"But these figures cannot be compared with Bournemouth's because our calculations are worked out differently," she said.

During the week Poole schools will be teaming up with local Fitness First clubs to promote walking.

Youngsters giving up the car will be given free goodies and fruit.

First published: May 24