"On Your Feet Or On Your Bikes"

East Antrim Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs has called for a revival of the practice of walking and cycling to school. In an Assembly motion put by the UUP MLA, Mr Beggs promoted the virtues of school children using 'safe routes to school' as an alternative to the continuing roads congestion caused by the 'school run'.

Speaking in the debate, Roy Beggs MLA said;

"Safe Routes to School it is an idea which can deliver almost immediate improvements. Walking or cycling to and from school is an ideal way to get some physical activity at no extra cost to the child or family. Given the credit crunch it may even become a necessity for many.

Mr Beggs went out to outline the increasing statistics for childhood obesity, which is linked to heart disease and type 2 diabetes and has been associated with decreasing physical activity amongst the young. He continued.

"Parents think that they are protecting their children by delivering and collecting them from to school by car. But by being wrapped in cotton wool children are being exposed to many deadly diseases.

A quarter of young people aged 11- 16 in Northern Ireland are classed as obese. Obesity is the most serious, and growing health concern for children.

Not everyone will be a sports star. Physical activities such as walking and cycling are the most common and versatile forms of exercise. A school located 1 mile from the home of a child is only a 20 minute brisk walk in the morning.

I myself as a P1 pupil had to walk 1 ½ miles home from Primary school. Though I did not realise it at the time I will have benefited from the exercise. Today there is a need to up grade crossing and look at schemes such as walking buses to improve safety. We do have increased traffic on the roads.

Mr Beggs concluded by pointing out the traffic congestion which is caused by the 'school run'.

"It is estimated that 20% of the cars on the road in urban areas at the morning peak traffic time, 10 minutes to 9 are taking children to school. 25 per cent of car journeys are less than 3km, there is real potential to reduce car usage if you encourage children to walk or cycle where possible.