SOUTHAMPTON schoolchildren will be putting their best feet forward because this week is "Walk to School Week".

The City Council's road safety team is urging as many children from Southampton's infant, junior and primary schools to take part - and hopes their parents will lend their support to the initiative.

The aim is to raise awareness of traffic problems in the city and to highlight the advantages of fewer vehicles on the roads. But motoring organisation the RAC has branded the national campaign a "short term response to a long term problem."

RAC bosses say that a wide range of problems including poor public transport systems and the perceived dangers of abduction and accidents are stopping parents from allowing their children to walk to school.

Spokesman for the organisation, Rebecca Bell told the Daily Echo: "Road casualty figures released last week indicate that fewer children than ever are being killed or injured on foot or on their bikes.

"We think this is because far fewer children are now walking or cycling to school than ever before.

"The car is king and that's not simply due to convenience. Parents are rightly worried about the safety of their children if they are left to travel to school independently."

Councillor Jill Baston Cabinet member for environment and transport said: "Encouraging children to walk to school and providing a safe environment for them to learn about road safety is very important.

"The 'walking bus' initiatives have proved very popular with parents, children and teachers, and, of course, it would not be possible to operate such schemes without the help and support of the volunteer 'bus drivers'."

Walk to School Week is organised jointly by Travelwise and the Pedestrian Association, with local input from Southampton City Council's Sustainable Travel and Road Safety Team.

During last year's campaign nearly 13,000 local children walked to and from school.

National tests also indicate that morning pollution levels at the school gate are higher than in city centres.

Up to 20 per cent of morning rush hour traffic is generated by the school run, with cars causing congestion, pollution and dangerous situations outside most school gates.

Ideas and tips from the road safety team during the campaign and beyond include organising a rota with other parents, forming a "Walking Bus" scheme and combining walking to school with exercising your dog.

Information about Walk to School Week and WB schemes can be obtained from Carol Bagshaw on 023 8023 2006.