Half (49%) of UK school pupils are worried about air pollution near their school

Half (49%) of UK school pupils are worried about air pollution near their school, which is an increase of 10% since a similar survey ran in 2018. 

A YouGov poll, commissioned by the walking and cycling charity Sustrans, surveyed 1,305 pupils aged 6 – 15 across the UK to find out about their attitudes towards air pollution and the climate crisis. 

Of those surveyed, just over three fifths (62%) don’t think adults are doing enough to tackle climate change, with 71% of pupils admitting to feeling worried. 

40% of pupils thought more people walking, cycling, or scooting to school was the best way to bring down air pollution near their school and 38% said walking and cycling more for local journeys was the most important thing that adults could do. 

Almost three fifths (57%) of pupils described the environment around their school as having too many cars. Seven times as many pupils want to cycle to school and five times as many want to scoot to school more than they currently do. Whilst 2% currently cycle, 14% want to, and whilst 2% currently scoot to school, 10% would like to.