THERE'S a Scottish election this year and while in May, most teenagers won't be able to have a say in what direction the country goes, there is one national journey most teenagers can influence: the school run.

Tom Wood, James Robertson and Neil Williams, all aged 14, cycle to the Royal High School in Edinburgh every day and would advise all teenagers to consider getting on their bikes. Many people don't cycle to school because of issues such as safety, or they think it's too far or maybe because they don't have a bike. But if it is an option, read on as the cycling trio and a panel of experts consider the pros and cons of cycling to school compared with sponging a lift.

CONVENIENCE A 2004 survey by the internet bank Egg revealed that the daily school run traffic in the UK would stretch 10,000 miles ­ the distance between London and Sydney. Now that's congestion. "My dad's always getting stuck in traffic jams when he gives me a lift, " says Neil.

"Cycling is much more convenient." Tom agrees: "The traffic is pretty bad around here for the school run. There's loads of people crossing the roads so if you're in a car you get held up quite a bit." James's mum describes the drive from their house to the school as "a nightmare" and is hugely in favour of her son cycling. "If he forgets something like homework he can always hop on his bike and come home and get it, but if I give him a lift he's stuck here for the day, " she adds.

James estimates that the half-mile ride from home to school takes only six minutes. "It's so much quicker, " he says. "Plus mum is more than happy not to give me a lift."

Winner: Cycling

HEALTH When asked why they cycle and avoid getting a lift or the bus to school the first thing Neil, James and Tom say, in unison is "to keep fit".

"We don't want to get fat, " says Tom bluntly.

"And it's really good exercise." The trio all play for the Royal High School's rugby team, so cycling to school helps them keep fit. "I get out a lot more than my mates, " adds Neil. "A lot of them just sit in and play Xbox and think it's stupid that I cycle everywhere. I just say, 'at least I'm not fat'." Jim Riach, education and training manager for Cycling Scotland, says: "One of the principal benefits of cycling to school is physical activity.

At the moment, relatively few kids are achieving their physical activity quota, which is one hour a day, so the active travel to school is a great way to contribute towards that." But surely cycling exposes you to more of the fumes pouring out of exhausts than if you were sitting in a car? According to Jim this is a common misconception: "That's an argument that people have used, but all the evidence suggests that there's more fumes within the car, especially in congestion, as opposed to being on your bike or as a pedestrian."

Winner: Cycling

MONEY Driving to school costs a lot more than just your parent's time ­ Egg's 2004 survey worked out that taking you to school costs GBP402 a year for fuel. That works out at more than GBP3000 on petrol over all the years you're getting lift to school. To put it another way, a 2006 study revealed that if your parents charged you taxirate fares for driving you about, you would owe them GBP10,000 a year.

But what do our panel of teen cyclists think?

They laugh when asked about the cost. "I save GBP1.20 every day that I cycle into town and I don't have to get the bus, " says Neil.

And James adds: "You do have to spend a bit of money on the upkeep of your bike, but it's not that much."

Winner: Cycling

THE ENVIRONMENT The boys admit reducing their carbon footprint is not high on their list of reasons why they cycle to school. But intentional or not, by cycling they are doing less damage to the environment.

Stuart Hay, head of policy and research at Friends of the Earth Scotland, says: "Cycling is good for your health and good for health of the planet because it is virtually carbon neutral, burning calories rather than petrol.

"It is the quickest and most environmentally friendly way to travel within towns or cities for any trip beyond walking distance. Why sit in a traffic jam when you can speed by on a bike and get to your destination in less time, without the stress and arrive with a clear conscience?" Friends of the Earth has worked out that a school run of three miles done in a mediumsized petrol-engined car generates 0.4 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, the same amount as a person travelling on eight return flights from Scotland to London. A bike, on the other hand, is emits zero carbon dioxide ­ assuming you don't calculate the energy that goes into making Weetabix to fuel your body for the trip.

Winner: Cycling

THE VERDICT The results are in and it's official ­ it's a landslide victory for cycling. As James says: "It's good exercise, it's fun, it's fast and it's cheap."

ON THE WEB
www.cyclingscotland.org
For more information about cycling to school
www.sustrans.org.uk
www.saferoutestoschools.org.uk Sustainable transport group Sustrans and its campaign to build a safe route to school involving walking, cycling or public transport for every UK pupil
www.foe-scotland.org.uk
Friends of the Earth Scotland site, with information on green issues and campaigns
www.bikeweek.org.uk Site for the UK's annual celebration of cycling, which takes place this year between June 16-24 www. ctc. org. uk The UK's national cycling organisation