QUEUES of cars delivering children to North Bromsgrove High School will become a thing of the past, if the Government gets its way.

The school, which has more than 1,000 pupils, is featuring in an initiative to encourage more youngsters to walk or cycle to school, rather than be dropped off in a car.

The scheme will involve extending the existing National Cycle Network and is being backed by £10 million from the Department of Transport.

The initiative is a joint effort between the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Transport.

The scheme aims to reduce pollution and road congestion, while at the same time encouraging young people to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

A new School Transport Bill will clear the way for projects to tackle congestion caused by the traditional school run, with up to £200,000 available to kick start each scheme.

There are a range of different options which could be employed, including safe cycle routes, 'walking buses,' 'park and stride schemes,' higher quality school buses and staggered school starting times.

Research has shown that 20 per cent of secondary and nearly half of primary school pupils are driven to school - double the number 20 years ago and that most of these journeys are less than two miles. North Bromsgrove High School is one of 230 schools throughout the country earmarked for phase one of the initiative, with 32 of them in the West Midlands.