Bradford primary school children are out-pacing their peers across the country, according to new figures.

Six out of every ten primary school pupils walk to school in Bradford, compared to five in ten pupils throughout Britain.

A total of 40,076 children attended the district’s 155 primary schools in the last school year and figures obtained by the Telegraph & Argus show 24,248 pupils regularly walked to school – 60.5 per cent.

The figure is closer to what the national average was 20 years ago. Nationally, between 1989 and 1991, 62 per cent of primary school pupils walked to school, compared to just 48 per cent in 2008.

Data released by the Office for National Statistics shows that over the same period the proportion of children travelling to school by car increased from 27 to 43 per cent.

One hundred and eighty Bradford schools are encouraging more children to walk to and from school every day through school travel plans.

These plans have been developed with Bradford Council in a bid to reduce traffic congestion, offer alternative means of travel such as cycling, walking and ‘walking buses’, and encourage the use of public transport or car-share.

Virginia Hartley, head teacher at Low Moor CE Primary School, in Low Moor, Bradford, estimates that seven out of every ten of her pupils make the journey to school on foot.

“We encourage parents to bring their children to school and, where possible, to walk or share the walk with other parents,” she said.

Some schools run walking bus schemes, where designated parents pick up other children on an agreed route to school, but they can be difficult to maintain.

Susan Hart, head teacher at All Saints CE Primary School, in Little Horton Green, Bradford, said the school would look at restarting its walking bus in the summer.

“You need adults to commit to getting up early to make it succeed,” she said. “It’s do-able but is perhaps better suited to when the weather is better.”

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, Bradford Council’s executive member for the environment and culture, said the benefits of walking to school were obvious.

“Children who walk to school are more aware of their wider environment,” she said.

“Reducing car use on school journeys also helps to alleviate parking problems around the school gates.

“Bradford Council’s road safety team supports and encourages all walking initiatives as they are a good opportunity to teach road-crossing skills.”