Parents who walk their children to school instead of driving them save as much as �300 a year, research suggests.

The Department of Transport claims parents who do the school run twice a day drive an extra 600 miles a year.

We drive a significant number of miles each year to take our children to and from school

David Jamieson, Transport Minister

The department warns the impact of car fumes on health and on the environment is growing.

As part of a campaign to get parents and children out of their cars, the Department for Transport has teamed up with the Department of Health and the Department for Education.

The departments say walking has many benefits, such as giving parents a chance to teach their children about road safety.

And a brisk one-mile walk to school and back can burn off around 150 calories, reduce the risk of heart disease and boost the metabolism.

Transport Minister David Jamieson said: "We drive a significant number of miles each year to take our children to and from school, often on journeys that could be done just as easily on foot, which would benefit our health, the environment and our purse.

"Parents also have an important role to play in demonstrating road safety skills to their children," he said.

"Many schools have road safety schemes in place such as 'walking buses', where parents take turns to walk a group of children to school and back."