Parents in cities across the UK are being urged to ditch the car and opt for walking and cycling on the school run to protect their children from the effects of air pollution.

Children in cars stuck in traffic are exposed to twice the level of pollution than kids walking across even busy roads, according to new research.

A study by environmental charity Global Action Plan also revealed that kids' exposure to pollution is 2.5 times lower if they walk along quiet back streets instead.

According to the charity, children are exposed to 30 per cent more pollution than most adults when walking down the street, because their height means they are closer to exhaust pipes.

To mark Clean Air Day, parents in London and other cities are asked to swap their usual routes to school with quieter streets to reduce the level of pollution breathed in by their little ones.

Chris Large, senior partner at Global Action Plan said millions of children across the UK were at risk of inhaling more pollutants than their parents.

He added: "A simple solution for parents would be to choose quieter back routes to walk or cycle their children to school, away from the traffic, thereby reducing their exposure to unnecessarily high levels of damaging air pollution."

Will you be swapping the car for a bicycle today? Let us know.