Shining example of road safety scheme

Published on Tuesday 27 October 2009 21:30

TRANSPORT group Stagecoach yesterday announced plans to issue every secondary pupil in Aberdeenshire with a torch the size of a credit card, as part of a school travel safety initiative.

All 15,500 pupils at the 17 secondary schools will receive the free "flashcard" to support Aberdeenshire Council's drive to improve road safety.

More than 12,500 Aberdeenshire pupils travel to school by bus daily. In September last year two pupils were killed in separate accidents when they were hit by cars while crossing roads after getting off a school bus.

Bryony Chamberlain, the managing director of Stagecoach Bluebird and Highlands, said: "The safety of our children is of paramount importance and the responsibility of every one of us."

We hope these pocket-sized torches will help reinforce the safety message to the thousands of secondary pupils who travel to school every day and give them something practical to be seen as we approach the darker winter months.."

Councillor Richard Stroud, the chairman of the council's education committee, praised the bus company's support of the authority's road safety drive.

He said: "We see it as a key objective to make sure that our children are educated on all aspects of safe travel and these flash cards will complement the existing and developing safety initiatives."