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Regional press news - this story published 12 September 2005

Drivers the target in Chronicle's safety push

by holdthefrontpage staff

Drivers who put schoolchildren's lives at risk are being targeted by The Bath Chronicle in a new campaign.

The Chronicle has launched the Safety Outside Schools campaign to coincide with the start of the new school year.

It wants to improve safety on roads around schools in the area, and is being backed by organisations from the local council through to the police and national pressure groups.

Building on the theme of the Chronicle’s long-running Roadsafe initiative to tackle thoughtless parking, Safety Outside Schools will:

name and shame parents who flout zig-zag lines or otherwise park dangerously

call for more 20mph limits to be in force outside schools at the start and end of the school day

highlight the success stories among the 40 schools which have their own travel plans, and

look at the reasons why the school run can be such a nightmare for all concerned.

Editor Sam Holliday said: "We hope this campaign will raise awareness of the whole issue of the danger of driving near schools during the school run periods.

"You often hear motorists and parents glibly describing the traffic issues surrounding the school run as being a 'nightmare' but the real nightmare is that of a child being injured or killed because of thoughtlessness or excessive speeding.

"This is an issue that needs to be looked at and highlighted and I am proud that the Chronicle is doing that with such vigour."

The move follows a number of accidents around schools and comes as the official in charge of lollipop crossing patrols slammed some of the driving near schools.

The campaign also coincides with Avon and Somerset police’s own Operation Term, which will see extra patrols monitoring schools over the next few weeks, and the national charity Brake's calls for 20mph limits outside every school in the country.

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