Cost of the school run

The school run not only grinds London's roads to a standstill - it costs UK families £1.66 billion a year, it is claimed today.

Half a million parents in the capital drive their children to school between 7.30am and

8.45am and back from 3pm to 4.15pm, according to figures from motor insurer Egg. At the 3.30pm peak, 34 per cent of school-run parents are behind the wheel, slowing down millions of other motorists.

Fuel accounted for 80 per cent of school-run costs with ?3,000 spent on petrol over a child's school career. Parking takes its toll with 331,000 cars damaged each year at a cost of ?273 each.