MEN who drive company cars walk less than a third of the average distance walked by men in households without cars, according to a new statistical report on walking published by the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions. 'Walking in Britain' reveals Britons are travelling further, but walking less than 10 years ago, with middle-aged men walking least of all active groups.

As a result junior transport minister Glenda Jackson has called on people to get out of their cars. 'There is a growing recognition that we cannot continue as we are now with increasing pollution from traffic damaging our health and our environment. We all must challenge the way we think and consider the alternatives available so we can use the car less and walk more,' said Jackson.

'We all want to see less pollution and less congestion on our roads, but to do that we all need to think what we can do as individuals to break the spiral of increasing car use. We could all start by walking to work.'