Children are the real victims of school run chaos

Notwithstanding the concerns of residents and the impact on the environment, surely school run parents can summon up some worries about the effect their behaviour is having on their children s future health? The latest research, by Professor Stuart Biddle

Notwithstanding the concerns of residents and the impact on the environment, surely school run parents can summon up some worries about the effect their behaviour is having on their children's future health?

The latest research, by Professor Stuart Biddle of Loughborough University, calls into question the link between the hours children spend in front of TVs and computers, and childhood obesity. He feels that by far the greatest culprit is the time that children spend in cars each day, in particular going to and from school.

His reseach shows that the decline in walking and cycling among children is far more dramatic than any changes in TV watching and he highlights the rise in the length of commute to school over the past 20 years.

Last week, Lord Adonis (the schools' minister ) announced that he is giving local authorities more powers to help them combat the school run.

Camden was given honourary mention as a council at the forefront of attempts to lower car usage by ''restricting parking near school gates, a move which could be replicated in other areas under the proposals''.

Meanwhile, Canute-like, the parents of north west London want Camden to go 'backwards' on this policy: a move that would run counter to what is increasingly becoming a national agenda and will happen regardless of which political party is in power in Westminster.

Have their expensively-educated children not told these parents what happened to King Canute?

Nicholas Smith

Regents Park Road, N3