The pupils of Ferndale Primary School were out in force yesterday morning to raise awareness of the dangers on the road.
Children aged between four and 11 completed the Walk a Mile event, supported by Brake, after it was revealed by the Department for Transport that an average of 21 youngsters across the south west are injured or killed during the school run every week.
Sarah Prevost, deputy headteacher at Ferndale, said: “I looked it up and we decided it was a great cause and something we were really interested in, so we decided to take part along with the thousands of other children across the country.
“I hope it raises the profile of safety for children as they walk to school every morning.”
More than 3,500 children were expected to have taken to the streets across the region yesterday morning, with the total across the UK set to top the 65,000 mark.
Brake, the road safety charity behind the organised walk, is calling for five measures to help keep children safe, including footpaths, cycle paths, safe places to cross, slow traffic and clean traffic.
The latest DfT figures show that 1,094 children were killed or injured on south west roads in 2017.
During the walk around the block in Ferndale, children were supervised at all times by teachers, teaching assistants and parental volunteers.
Alongside the road safety aspects, the pupils were also using the opportunity to get some well needed exercise.
“There’s also the benefits to walking, which is what we’re promoting to our children, to make sure they’ve got mental fitness and show the health benefits of walking to school every day,” added Mrs Prevost.
The children were also very excited to be taking part in the walk and getting a break from their regular classes.
Lily, a Year 5 pupil, said: “It was really nice, we saw some nice scenery. It’s better than sitting down all day, and some people were carrying banners to promote what we were doing.”
Louise, another Year 5 pupil, had similar views and said: “It was good to get some fresh air and walking is better for the planet because we’re not using cars.”
Charlie, a Year 4 pupil, was very keen to add: “I also go running with my mum, which is good for us.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here