Health experts are concerned about a big fall in children’s bicycle sales, with new research showing just 10 per cent of Australian kids regularly ride a bike to school.

Figures provided by bicycle importers show sales have been falling steadily over the past 10 years, falling from 491,000 in 2007 to 382,000 last financial year.

A survey of parents found that safety fears were the main reason most did not want their child to ride a bike to school, with 60 per cent preferring to drive them.

But Heart Foundation national chief executive John Kelly said attempts by parents to protect their children could have unintended consequences such as reducing activity, which could lead to problems such as obesity in later life.

He said just 7 per cent of children were doing the recommended one hour a day of exercise and habits learnt in childhood were often carried through into adult life.

Camera Icon West Leederville Primary School’s Michael McInerheney with regular riders Anna Lubich, Joshua Maxwell and Riley Moore. Credit: Nic Ellis

“It is vital we encourage daily physical activity for all our children and the daily trip to school is one of the best value investments we can make for their future health,” Professor Kelly said.

Australian Cycling Promotion Foundation spokesman Stephen Hodge said the figures showed that governments urgently needed to invest more heavily in cycling infrastructure, especially around schools, to give parents greater confidence to let their children ride.

“In areas where safe routes to school exist, kids are happily commuting by foot, scooter and bike with the full support of parents and teachers,” he said. “We call on governments at all levels to focus on safe routes to school for our children as a first step to build-ing a healthier, more engaged and more successful future generation.”

West Leederville Primary School is one school that is bucking the national cycling trend, with about one-quarter of its students riding to school regularly during warmer months.

The number falls to about 15 per cent in winter, which is still well above the national average of 10 per cent.

The school takes part in the Let’s Ride program, which teaches Year 3 and Year 4 students to respect the road rules, as well as giving them practical training on how to handle their bike safely and how to avoid putting themselves in danger.

“We know that our kids like to be active and either walk or ride to school, and a lot of our mums and dads have gone out and bought bikes for their kids after they have done the course,” associate principal Michael McIner-heney said.