More than 200 Oxford youngsters learning to cycle and walk to school won’t be left in the dark thanks to a bright idea from a local firm.
Oxfordshire County Council has teamed up with public services company Amey to donate reflective clip-on badges to pupils at two city schools to make sure pupils are more visible and safer as they travel to school.
Amey, based at Oxford Science Park, is working with the council's Road Safety Team to support its ‘Footsteps’ and Cycle Training programmes, which aims to reduce the number of cyclist and pedestrian fatalities.
Half the badges went to Orchard Meadow Primary School, in Blackbird Leys, which has signed up to the cycle training programme, a practical road-based scheme to develop cycle skills and behaviour for youngsters aged nine and over.
Keisha Blake, 10, is taking part in the five-week scheme. She said: “It is good because it helps you get used to the road so you can cycle all the time and you get lots of exercise which keeps you fit and healthy.”
Youngsters at Windmill Primary School in Headington also got some of the badges for taking part in the Footsteps programme, which encourages children to make their own choices and decisions on Oxfordshire's roads through practical training in a safe environment.
The schemes are offered free of charge to schools, and Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Transport, Rodney Rose, said: “We are extremely grateful to Amey for their donation of clip-on reflective badges. Keeping children safe on our roads and pavements is vitally important especially during the dark winter months.”
