Call for Motorists to Help Children Stay Safe Near Schools

Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats have issued a plea for motorists to help children stay safe, following a debate on children's road safety at a Council meeting last week.

At the Children's Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC), councillors heard from children from Wootton who have been campaigning on the issue of road safety in their community. The schoolchildren raised a wide range of issues, and in response Council representatives set out work that will take place to address them including the appointment of a new school crossing patrol, assessing bus stops and crossings in the area and reviewing road safety information campaigns for young people.

They also heard from the Council's Chief Officer for Transport about the range of activity by the council to help ensure the safety of all road users, including children. This includes:

- Becoming the very first council in the country to install average speed cameras on local roads, with the first set in Milton Ernest in 2012 followed by installations at hotspots across Bedford Borough

- Installing parking enforcement cameras at dozens of schools across the Borough, to clamp down on unlawful parking which endangers children

- Maintaining a wide network of school crossing patrols, who help children get to and from school safely throughout the year.

Commenting, Bedford Borough Liberal Democrat Children's OSC spokesperson and Committee Chair Cllr Hilde Hendrickx said: "It was extremely helpful to hear directly from the children about their views and experiences, and I want to thank them again for coming along and taking part.'

"Everything we heard on the night only re-emphasised the importance of motorists driving and parking safely, and being mindful of the additional hazards at schools.'

"For its part, it is clear that the Council has prioritised road safety at and around schools, with a wide array of measures in recent years. It is critical that this agenda continues to be pursued, on behalf of children and young people across Bedford Borough."