On 11 June 2008 more than 80,000 children marched for road safety and to promote the benefits of walking instead of using a car. It was a fabulous day and the children loved the opportunity to get out and get the message across: SLOW DOWN!
The Walking Bus initiative is at the heart of Brake’s Watch Out, There’s a Kid About! campaign, calling on the Government to reduce the default 30mph limit to 20mph and to introduce safe crossing places around schools.
Brake CE Mary Williams said: “The Buckle My Shoe Walking Bus has been a success in raising awareness among drivers and educating them about the importance of SLOWING DOWN in communities, while allowing kids to join in a great-fun, nationwide record-breaking attempt!”
[Photo kindly provided by Archant Limited.]
In London
At St Mary’s CE Primary School in Walthamstow, London, road safety is a priority. St Mary’s is located off a main road in the middle of an estate, and has problems with congestion around the school gates.
Hilda Jackson, Learning Mentor at St Mary’s CE Primary School, said: “Road safety is a priority at St Mary’s, and plays an important part in the curriculum.”
In Scotland
At St Ninian’s Primary School in Glasgow, participating in Brake’s Walking Bus initiative reinforces the lessons pupils learn through the school’s road safety campaigns.
The school is located on a road which has two crash blackspots and two children have been hurt on the road in the past three years. Glasgow City Council has introduced a ‘20 is plenty’ scheme but the school has requested further action, due to concerns that drivers are still driving too fast. Mary Mclachlan, Headteacher at St Ninian’s Primary School, said: “St Ninian’s has worked tirelessly this session to promote road safety. Pupils are warned of the dangers faced due to the school’s location on one of the busiest roads in Glasgow.”
In Wales
Around 120 children from Mount Stuart Primary School in Cardiff took part in Brake’s Walking Bus world record attempt. The school regularly delivers road safety lessons and Yvonne Scott, Deputy Headteacher, states that the Record Breaking Walking Bus is very important “because it makes children become aware of road safety measures and enables them to be able to look after themselves on the roads.”
In Northern Ireland
At Killowen Primary School, Belfast, Brake’s Walking Bus world record attempt formed a crucial part of a school-wide health and personal safety week. The week supported calls by Northern Ireland Minister of Education, Caitr?ona Ruane, for schools to help heighten awareness of road safety and the importance of wearing seatbelts.Killowen suffers from congestion around its school gates, which puts pupils in danger, particularly when parents are parking to drop off and collect children from the school. To help tackle this problem, the school is keen to promote safe walking to school, and runs assemblies on road safety.
Fiona Crory, Headteacher at Killowen Primary School, said: “Killowen is delighted to be taking part in the Record Breaking Walking Bus. The school gives road safety education a high priority and sees it as an essential part of our personal safety programme.”
In the North West
Children from St. Anne’s Catholic Primary School in Liverpool stepped out as part of the nationwide Buckle My Shoe Walking Bus.
St Anne’s pupils have recently received six weeks’ road safety training through the ‘Cross Right’ scheme. This is delivered by community wardens employed by Kensington Regeneration Services.
Shelagh Hennigan, Acting Headteacher at St Anne’s, said: “Our school is proud to be educating pupils about road safety and marching for road safety today in a bid to stop these deaths.”
In the North East
Around 55 pupils from Bedlington Stead School, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne took part in Brake’s record breaking attempt. The school regularly participates in safety walks and national initiatives such as Walk to School Week (last held 19-23 May 2008). A 20mph speed limit and traffic-calming measures around the school and neighbouring residential area were introduced in 2001, following a campaign by the school.
Debi Wing, Year 3 class teacher at Bedlington Stead, said: “Bedlington Stead takes road safety very seriously and teaching it to our pupils is a high priority within the school. Brake’s ‘Record Breaking Walking Bus’ is a great opportunity to involve the children in an event which enforces this, while also attempting to break a world record.”
In Yorkshire and Humbersideimage
Children from Swinnow Primary in Leeds took part in Brake's Record Breaking Walking Bus to promote road safety issues. The school has operated a daily walking bus to school for the past three years. Led by the school's learning mentor, Beverley Hodson, the walking bus runs from 8am and collects approximately 30 children from three designated 'bus stops'. The initiative contributed to the school's Advanced Healthy Schools award, which focuses on physical activity and healthy eating.
Beverley Hodson, learning mentor at Swinnow, said: "With the large number taking part, we hope to raise awareness of road safety in our local community."
In the West Midlands
Redhill School in Birmingham is situated by a busy road, so road safety is taken very seriously. There have been several near misses with the school's pupils at pedestrian crossings and a horrific crash in October 2006, when local mum-to-be Sarah-Jayne Hunt, her unborn child and nine year-old son, Kieran, were knocked down and killed while using a pelican crossing on the A45 close to the school.
Naseem Iqbal, teaching assistant and home liaison officer at Redhill School, said: "The Record Breaking Walking Bus is a perfect opportunity for children to help raise awareness of road safety in their local community, while enjoying the fun aspect of being part of a world record attempt."
[Photo kindly provided by Birmingham Mail]
In the East Midlands
Bakewell Church of England School ran the Walking Bus within an ‘Environment Week’. The children walked to their local park, safely in twos and with plenty of adult supervision. The children had a great time in the sunshine.
“It was a wonderful opportunity to talk to the children about the value of walking and to get out and about, and support this important cause,” said headteacher Patricia Outram.
The school has problems with congestion around the school gates, and actively encourages parents to park five minutes away from the site. The school’s Travel Plan Committee meets regularly and is running a Walk to School initiative throughout the summer term.
Sharon Bakewell, Deputy Headteacher at Wynndale Primary School, said: “Road safety is critical for our children’s safety. A road crash involving a child devastates families, schools and communities. Our school is proud to be educating pupils about road safety and marching for road safety today, in a bid to stop these accidents.”
In the East
More than 4,000 children from across the east region of the country marched for road safety. Youngsters from Sutton CE Infant School, in Sutton, north of Norwich, joined thousands of others across the east as part of Brake’s record breaking attempt. Headteacher Barbara Carter said: “Road safety is an important element of our school. We have a walking bus to school every morning for parents and children. Events like this are essential in helping raise the profile of road safety, even if it only manages to change a couple of people’s attitudes.”
In May Norwich City Council announced plans to introduce a blanket 20mph zone in all residential streets in the city.
In the South West
Moves are underway at Holy Family Primary School Bristol, who took part in Brake’s Walking Bus initiative, to improve safety outside the school gates and ease congestion.
Dawn Breeze, Headteacher at Holy Family Primary School, said: “Holy Family Primary School believes road safety is an extremely important issue. The Record Breaking Walking Bus is an event which the children really enjoy as they can help to enforce road safety within their local area, whilst being part of an attempt to break a Guinness World Record.”
In the South
At Longworth Primary School, Oxfordshire, taking part in Brake’s Walking Bus initiative reinforces the school’s emphasis on road safety and sustainable travel to and from school. There are problems with congestion around the school gates, and the school and County Council encourage parents to walk their children to school if they live nearby. Pupils participate in national initiatives such as Walk to School Week (last held 19-23 May 2008).
Almost 300 pupils and teachers from Holy Trinity Primary School, in Cuckfield, West Sussex, took part in Brake's Record Breaking Walking Bus. They enjoyed a walk around the rural settings of their school grounds in the sunshine, with the village mayor and Spike the Road Safety Hedgehog, from their local council, for company.
The school has a regular walking bus to school on a Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. According to Nicky Lawrence, parent coordinator, this has caused a decline in traffic around the local area over the past year. Holy Trinity has also introduced a one way system around the school which has slowed traffic on the surrounding roads.
In the South East Broad Oak Primary School in Heathfield, East Sussex, took part in Brake’s world record attempt.
To reduce congestion around the school gates, parents can use the village hall’s car park, subject to prior arrangement by the school. The village hall is half a mile away, and the school encourages parents and children to make the remainder of the journey on foot. Staff and parent helpers accompany children whose parents cannot walk with them. The school runs a ‘Walk on Wednesdays’ initiative, when children who walk to school attach a leaf to a tree in the school’s reception. Pupils also take part in Walk to School Week (last held 19-23 May 2008) and year 1 pupils (aged 5-6) receive practical pedestrian training, called ‘Footsteps’, from East Sussex Council.
The school is concerned by the lack of street lighting outside the school, which is a key factor in children not walking, particularly in winter. Maria Maslin, Headteacher at Broad Oak Primary School, said: “Road safety is critical for our children’s safety. A death of a child devastates families, schools and communities. The school is proud to be educating pupils about road safety and marching for road safety today in a bid to stop these deaths.”
In London At St Mary’s CE Primary School in Walthamstow, London, road safety is a priority. St Mary’s is located off a main road in the middle of an estate, and has problems with congestion around the school gates. Hilda Jackson, Learning Mentor at St Mary’s CE Primary School, said: “Road safety is a priority at St Mary’s, and plays an important part in the curriculum.”
In Scotland At St Ninian’s Primary School in Glasgow, participating in Brake’s Walking Bus initiative reinforces the lessons pupils learn through the school’s road safety campaigns. The school is located on a road which has two crash blackspots and two children have been hurt on the road in the past three years. Glasgow City Council has introduced a ‘20 is plenty’ scheme but the school has requested further action, due to concerns that drivers are still driving too fast. Mary Mclachlan, Headteacher at St Ninian’s Primary School, said: “St Ninian’s has worked tirelessly this session to promote road safety. Pupils are warned of the dangers faced due to the school’s location on one of the busiest roads in Glasgow.
