YOUNGSTERS have won high-level backing for their efforts to solve the problem of traffic congestion.

Education Secretary Char-les Clarke and Transport Minister Kim Howells gave their support to pupils from two schools when they attended the final of the RAC's Grass Routes initiative at the House of Commons.

The youngsters, from King James' School, Knaresborough, and Malton School, presented their ideas on solving the problem of road safety and traffic congestion surrounding their schools.

King James pupils suggested controlling the flow of traffic around the school at peak times by installing various signals on the school road, to make both drivers and pupils more aware of each other.

Pupils from Malton School recognised that the volume of parked cars caused congestion on roads near to their school and suggested that parking was restricted to residents, with parents only allowed to drop off and pick up their children at designated times.

The schools were two of five shortlisted from across the country to present their ideas to an audience of travel experts, transport ministers, MPs, road safety executives and parliamentary officials.

A spokeswoman for the RAC, Nicola Thunhurst, said later: "We were really impressed with the standard of the ideas put forward and the quality of the presentations we saw at the event. The complex issue of the school run cannot just be solved by encouraging people to leave their cars at home.

"Children and parents need to fully understand the road safety issues associated with it in order to make a difference."