Delacombe Primary School’s walking bus, run in partnership with Salvation Army, primarily aims to help children get to class on time.

The program, which has been running for almost two years, runs rain, hail or shine. Delacombe teacher Rebekah Mangos said the move also promotes health benefits and a sense of community.

Walking school bus rolls back into action in Delacombe this week as a national collaboration of Australian health experts say driving children to school is causing more harm than good.

Active travel has been deemed the most urgent priority to tackle physical inactivity under the Australian Health Policy Collaboration.

AHPC director and Victoria University professor Rosemary Calder said parents might think it safer to drive their children to school, but the APHC is calling for safer active travel initiatives nationwide for long-term health.

RELATED COVERAGE

“We are putting our children’s lifetime health at risk because of our reliance on driving our children to and from school,” Professor Calder said.

 “We have taken away the opportunity for them to get enough daily exercise by walking, riding or scooting to school, safely and together as communities."

Volunteer walkers from the Salvation Army, teachers, and morning walkers from across the community lead the stroll through Delacombe. Older siblings and grandparents also sometimes join in.

The Delacombe movement draw about 20 walkers each school morning but Ms Mangos said it set the tone in encouraging other children outside the walk zone to take active transport to school.

“It’s a lovely way to start the day and has really helped to connect with parents and raise awareness of other community programs,” Ms Mangos said.

More than 70 per cent of Australian children fall short of the recommended 60 minutes physical activity every day, according to AHPC.

Only 2.9 per cent of Ballarat workers walk to work, clear below the state (3.2 per cent) and national (3.5) averages.