Youngsters press case for road safety

Pupils from St. Edward's School, Lees went on the march to campaign for safer streets for pedestrians and cyclists.

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YOUNGSTERS at an Oldham primary school joined more than 9,000 other children in the North-West by staging a march to call for safer streets for walking and cycling.

Pupils from St Edward’s RC Primary School, Lees, took to the streets close to the school with banners urging drivers and the Government to make their streets safe.

The national Giant Walk event — an initiative co-ordinated by road safety charity Brake — aims to give children a voice and to enable them to live healthy, active lifestyles.

Sally Madders, learning support at the school, said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity for youngsters to make their voices heard and promote road safety to children, parents and local drivers.”

The annual event is a way for children to put their best feet forward and say yes to the health and planet-saving benefits of walking, and no to fast driving that threatens their safety.

A survey conducted by Brake suggests only a quarter of parents in the North-West think they have a route that is safe for their children to walk or cycle from home to school.

Almost half of primary school children in England are now driven to school, contributing to congestion, poor health and traffic danger.

Brake is campaigning for drivers and the Government to take action to make streets safer for children by backing their GO 20 campaign.

For drivers, this means slowing down to 20mph or less wherever there may be people on foot or bike, and always keeping a look out for vulnerable road users. For the Government, it means implementing widespread 20mph speed limits.

Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive of Brake, said: “Recent reports have provided a stark warning about the potential consequences of the UK slipping further into a spiral of physical inactivity.

“The impacts will be felt hardest by our children, who could face a lifetime of poor health and have to pick up the bill for rising healthcare costs. This crisis can be averted, but we need urgent action.

“As is clear from the thousands taking part in Brake’s Giant Walk, kids love to get out and about on foot and bike, and parents want to be able to let them.

“It is a national scandal that danger from fast traffic often prevents children from having the fun, active, healthy childhood they deserve.”