Kington School pupils halted traffic to highlight safety fears (From Hereford Times)

Kington School pupils halted traffic to highlight safety fears

10:00am Sunday 5th July 2009

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KINGTON school pupils stopped traffic in a recordbreaking effort to raise awareness of road safety.

Hundreds of students from Kington Primary School held hands to create a “Walking Bus”.

Police closed off the High Street to help with a national campaign from road safety charity BRAKE.

The children waved placards bearing slogans such as “Beware – Take Care” in a bid to drive down national figures that show children are hurt or killed every 20 minutes on UK roads.

Most of those are on their way to school.

Staff member Kate van den Ende organised the walk after junior road safety officers Hannah Allaway and Henry Yeomans registered the whole school in the world record attempt to create the longest walking bus ever.

Kate said: “Schools do discuss and promote walking and cycling to and from school. But how can the children feel and be safe on the congested, narrow streets of small towns like Kington when they have to share the restricted space with cars, lorries and buses?”

Community support officers held back the traffic and also acted as witnesses to the record attempt.

The record is expected to be verified soon, after 150,000 children took part countrywide.

BRAKE has a website with more information and advice on road safety issues at brake.org.uk, and operates a support helpline for accident victims and their carers on 0845 603 8570.

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