Express & Star

Road safety award for primary school

A Great Barr school has scooped an award for improving road safety for pupils, parents and the community.

Published
Road safety’s Karen Hale, Geoff Fulwood and Tony Fowler with pupils and head

St Margaret's CE Primary school won the Roland Vernon award - which was presented by the Sandwell Road Safety Organisation in memory of their former chairman.

The award recognises the work the school has done with Sandwell Council's road safety team to reduce the speed of vehicles on the A34 Birmingham Road and encouraging road safety.

Councillor Jackie Taylor, Sandwell Council's cabinet member for sustainable transport, said: "The school takes road safety really seriously and it's fantastic that this has been recognised with an award.

"The children have carried out speed checks outside their school and designed some wonderful signs and banners to get the message across.

"The council has also installed a speed activated sign which flashes up a vehicles registration number when the speed limit is exceeded. All of this is making a real difference."

Pleasure

Councillor Taylor is also encouraging people to use public transport, walk or cycle wherever they can, especially on journeys to and from school.

Roland Vernon served as Chairman of the Sandwell Road Safety organisation for over 10 years and when he passed away, the award was introduced in honour of his legacy.

Jane Stackhouse, headteacher, said: "It is a pleasure and a privilege to receive the Roland Vernon Award for our work on road safety.

"We worked closely with Sandwell Council's Road Safety Team to try to make a difference for pedestrians and motorists on the A34 outside our school and we are proud of our achievements."

Tony Fowler, of the Sandwell Road Safety Organisation, added: "We are pleased that this award is again being passed to schools which have achieved significant improvements to road safety in their area."