New research shows the Covid lockdown period changed the way New Zealand kids get to and from school - with less students walking

The Journal of Transport and Health has found students are 42-percent less likely to return to their usual walking commute.

It's also possibly accelerated an existing trend, with the authors saying between the 90s and 2014, the number of students being driven to school increased from 21 to 32-percent.

The authors say restoring the walking habit would reduce our reliance on private vehicles and encourage the physical and social benefits of active transport.