A range of road safety activities took place across South Lanarkshire as schools in the region participated in the annual Walk to School Week (16 – 20 May).
Each year a different theme is chosen to help encourage children or their guardians to walk to school. This year’s theme, ‘Walk Smart with Strider’, delivers key road safety messages that support the national curriculum.
Events across the county included ‘Zimbar the Zebra’ handing out badges to pupils at Chapelton Primary School, while at Rigside Primary School pupils designed a banner which encouraged other pupils to walk to school.
Councillor John Murray, chair of South Lanarkshire Council’s road safety forum, said: “I cannot emphasise enough how important it is for children – and their parents – to walk to school, even if it is just a short distance. It has clear health benefits and also means that the young people are reaping the benefits of practical road safety awareness.
“I know for some people distance dictates they must take the car, but even parking a distance away and walking is much better than trying to get a drop-off point right next to the school gates.
“The school run can use a lot of fuel because of the general stop-start nature of the journey, which is not good for the environment. There is also the road safety aspect: we have all seen how crowded the entrances and exits to schools can get with cars and some people’s selfish parking can put children in danger.”
For more information contact James Davitt 01698 453 857.
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