Pupils put their best foot forward to support Road Safety event

Schools in Cheshire West and Chester have been supporting the ‘Kids Walk’ event organised by the national road safety charity, Brake.

Every year, thousands of primary schoolchildren across the country take part in Brake’s Kids Walk to learn important road safety messages.

The latest Brake’s Kids Walk took place on Wednesday 14 June 2023 however the Council’s Road Safety team is supporting the initiative all week.

Children aged between four and 11 years put their best foot forward to promote road safety and the health and planet-saving benefits of walking.

The schools taking part in the walk this year were: St Bede’s Catholic Primary, Northwich; Meadow Primary School in Great Sutton and Sutton Green Primary School in Little Sutton.

The Council’s Road Safety Officers with help from Cheshire Constabulary Police Community Support Officers supported short, supervised walks around the schools with children walking in a crocodile formation, to promote the importance of kids walking to school, or parking away from school and walking the last five to 10 minutes. This will make arriving at school safer for everyone and improve the air quality.

The Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet member for Environment, Transport and Highways, Councillor Karen Shore said: “Taking part in the Brake Kids Walk is a great way to improve the environment around school and also to keep fit and healthy.

If everyone who cannot walk all the way to school, parked a little further away, the air quality around schools would be much better. It also makes it safer for other children that walk to school, as they won’t need to cross between parked cars.

“Brake's Kids Walk is a great way to promote the benefits of walking and raise awareness among parents and carers about the benefits of walking to school, which reduces traffic around the school gates.”

Mr Jai Stark, Headteacher at Sutton Green Primary School in Great Sutton, said "We were really happy to take part in Brake's kids walk today and the children had a great time."

Schools can also take part in Modeshift Stars. The scheme results in healthier students by encouraging active, healthy lifestyles for young people through more walking, wheeling and cycling, as well as making the environment around school safer.

The scheme offers ways to reduce car use and increase active and sustainable travel, involving the whole school community – students, parents and teachers working together to make a difference.

Contact the Road Safety team: 

roadsafety@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk 

...or visit: 

www.modeshiftstars.org.

These actions support the Council’s Climate Emergency agenda and its target for the borough to be carbon neutral by 2045.

Pictured - Pupils from St Bede's Catholic Primary School in Northwich striding out on the Brake Kids Walk.