A push to get more children to walk to school has been launched by the State Government, in a bid to increase movement to and from schools.

A new report shows the national rate of walking and riding to school has dropped from 75 per cent to 25 per cent over past 40 years.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti says issues need to be addressed.

“Schools can apply for funding to look at how they can have things like bike shelters and improved paths around the school,” she said.

The State Government report says only 20 per cent of students walk or ride to school. The statistics also show that 50 per cent of students want to ride or walk more frequently.

“All these policies and all these ideas don’t turn everything around in one day, but we need to arrest that trend and actually start reversing it,” Ms Saffioti told Oliver Peterson.

Main factors contributing to the decline in active travel to school include high traffic around schools, poor pedestrian paths and distance.

“We see this as a major barrier and in that situation, the older paths have probably been impacted over time,” Ms Saffioti said.

Minister Saffioti also backed Premier Mark McGowan for visiting Carnarvon earlier today after 4-year-old Cleo Smith was found.

“I think as the leader of the state to recognise the work of the entire Carnarvon community and of course the police officers is very important,” she said.

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