PARENTS in Bromley would rather walk their children to school than drive them in the car.

The council's walking bus scheme came top of a poll of parents at primary schools which do not use the scheme at present.

Research scholar Nastaran Azmin-Foulad, from Bromley, has been studying the school run at St Mark's and St George's as part of her PhD on the environment.

And, in a questionnaire about how they could improve their daily journeys, 30 per cent of parents chose the walking bus over using public transport or having traffic calming measures put in.

She also asked children to depict their journey in drawings and poems and presented the most original artists with book tokens.

Edwin O'Hanlon and Hanna Winfield were the winners.

Miss Azmin-Fouladi said: “People are driving more and more because of an increase in car ownership. Research shows 21 per cent of parents live within one mile of the school and still drive.

“This is only going to get worse and schools and parents need to think about it. I wanted the kids involved because they are the next generation of car-owners.”

The walking bus was set up last May at Hawes Down Primary, in West Wickham and is now used at three other schools in the borough.

Walking bus co-ordinator at Bromley Council Jean Wilkinson said: “It is pleasing parents are taking an interest in the scheme.

“It's so important for children to to walk to school in a safe environment. We will contact the schools in September to talk about taking on walking bus volunteers.”