Letter:Walking to school is safer

Your report "To hell and back on the school run" (8 September) highlights the madness of our lack of a coherent transport policy. It is generally safer and certainly healthier for children to walk to school. Research shows that pollution levels are likely to be higher inside a car than outside. My children walk just over a mile to school and enjoy it. They meet friends and wake up properly before school and can wind down afterwards.

I agree that many roads around schools are dangerous, but if more children walked there would be less traffic. To encourage this, more local authorities should support projects such as "Safe Routes to School" and "Feet First". These help children work out what would make them feel safer when walking to school or whether cycling is possible. For the car-conditioned, help can be given to demonstrate that walking is possible and that, provided basic road safety is instilled in the child, walking is as safe as anything can be.

Charlie Trousdell

Brighton, East Sussex