24 February 2020

Road safety campaign comes to Fraserburgh school

A successful Park Smart scheme which was recently hosted by Westhill Primary School is to be rolled out at a school in Fraserburgh.

The road safety campaign aimed at improving safety at the school gate is to be featured at St Andrews Primary School later this month.

In a joint approach between Aberdeenshire Council, Police Scotland, the school and its parent councils, the campaign will feature a number of activities including assemblies for children, in-class workshops, campaign materials for families and street patrols during key drop-off and pick-up times.

The scheme comes in response to concerns over road traffic issues around the school, with the emphasis on educating people on how to play their role in keeping people safe at the school gate.

Park Smart focuses on keeping schoolchildren safe by encouraging drivers to park considerately when dropping off and collecting children from school.

At St Andrews School, Aberdeenshire Council will be introducing the Park Smart initiative to all school classes during assembly on Friday, February 28.

Teachers will be delivering in-class road safety messages including homework with the intention of creating long-term behavioural change among parents and guardians.

Pupils will also get the chance to enter a road safety banner competition, with the winner being announced at the week’s final assembly.

The winner will have their design printed on a banner which will be hung outside the school to promote the road safety message to motorists.

The road safety messages are spread across the school year which helps to highlight the importance of road safety.

Cllr Gillian Owen, chair of the council’s Education and Children Services Committee, said: “With many of our pupils now being driven to school each day, it raises the issue of so many vehicles trying to park around our schools which often leads to illegal and irresponsible parking.

“Poor driving around schools can cause serious safety issues at our schools and we believe children shouldn't have their safety compromised by dangerous parking around the school.”

Ewan Wallace, Aberdeenshire Council’s Head of Transportation, said: “Following our very successful week-long campaign at Westhill, I am delighted to see Park Smart being rolled out in Fraserburgh.

“The safety of everyone in our communities is of paramount importance and through this excellent example of partnership working between ourselves and Police Scotland we can deliver the roads safety message in our schools and the wider community to raise awareness and ensure our children remain safe at all times.”

Inspector Jennifer Cordiner from the Banff and Buchan Community Policing Team commented: “We are delighted to be working alongside our partners at Aberdeenshire Council to improve road safety.

“We have listened to, and acted upon, the concerns of parents and this is both an excellent example of partnership working and how joint working can help to keep people safe.”