Councils have been urged to close roads to cars during school pick up and drop off times to make journeys safer and manage social distancing at the school gates by ten NGOs.
The NGOs have come together after a new survey revealed six out of ten parents are worried about increased levels of traffic once lockdown is lifted.
They argue that councils can make it safer to cycle and walk to school when they re-open next week by creating ‘school street’ schemes.
Chris Large, senior partner at Global Action Plan, said: 'Returning to school is full of anxieties for parents and simple street improvements would drastically reduce the worry over children being able to get to school safely.
'Some Local Authorities are doing a great job of making active travel safer, but some have not even started. Whether a child’s neighbourhood keeps low traffic and clean air beyond the end of the lockdown shouldn’t be a postcode lottery.'
The ten NGOs are made up of Global Action Plan, Mums for Lungs, Living Streets, Possible, ClientEarth, Cycling UK,Asthma UK & British Lung Foundation Partnership, FIA Foundation, Ella Roberta Family Foundation and Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Charity.
