How children get to school – a matter of class?

According to a report in The Independent, studies have suggested that how children travel to school comes down to class divide.

The Independent says that DfT figures reveal that almost half the children in Windsor are driven to school, while one in 20 cycles and one in 10 take a bus or train.

In contrast, children in Portsmouth and the Isles of Scilly are the most energetic, with around 70% of them walking to school and one in five cycling.

The figures detail the percentage of school-age children who walk, cycle, take the car or use public transport. Nationally it shows that around one in four children are taken to school by car. One in five get there by public transport, around half walk, while just 2% on average are allowed to cycle.

Another recent study suggests that children are less likely to walk to school as income and parental education increase. The Independent says that this would appear to tally with the new DfT figures. Wealthier parts of the country such as Barnet, Surrey and Bath have low levels of walking, while relatively deprived areas of the country such as Hull, Barking and Luton have higher levels.

Click here to read The Independent report in full.