Huddersfield schools back safety campaign

Jun 18 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Huddersfield schools back safety campaign

HUNDREDS of children have taken to the streets to cut down on accidents involving speeding drivers.

Pupils at Christ Church Woodhouse in Deighton and Fixby Junior, Infant and Nursery School marched from their school gates.

They formed a walking bus in an attempt to stop speeding drivers and break the world record for the largest walking bus.

The event was organised by Huddersfield-based road safety charity Brake who want motorists to cut their speed limit to 20mph around every school.

Christ Church Woodhouse headteacher Jennifer Davies said: “I don’t think the traffic is any more of a problem around the Deighton area as it is anywhere else.

“Statistics show that accidents at the start and end of the school day are more frequent than any other time.

“We are vulnerable here because we are near the brow of a hill even though we have traffic calming measures such as the speed bumps.

“We do our absolute best to teach the children about road safety and to ensure that our children know how to stay safe when they are walking along a road.

“But maybe now when they get in their cars with their parents they will ask about the speed they are going at.”

School council members held placards advising drivers to slow down and others walked behind safely to back the campaign.

Mrs Davies added: “It is important for the children to take part in activities such as this.