Sponsored by
Gateside pupils’ ‘slow
down’ plea to drivers
1311046 SSHC road protest children at Gateside PS holding up banners urging drivers to slow down - outsdie Gateside PS, Gateside
PUPILS at Gateside Primary School have given speeding drivers an emphatic message: ‘Slow down!’
Armed with placards and kitted out in high-visibility vests, the youngsters spent three mornings reminding passing motorists of the 20mph limit outside the school.
Headteacher Maureen Andrews said the issue was one her pupils felt strongly about.
She told the Fife Herald: “The pupils have really enjoyed this week and have been keen each morning, no matter how miserable the weather, to go outside with their placards and reinforce the speed limit message to passing motorists.
DELIGHTED
“I understand that local officers will continue to monitor speeds outside the school at various times of the day and this support is most welcome.”
Pupils and staff were joined outside the school by Gateside’s community police officer, Sergeant Collette Mather.
She said: “We have been delighted to work closely with both school staff and pupils.
“They reinforced the message to passing drivers that young children can be vulnerable in the area of schools and encouraged them to comply with the maximum speed of 20mph when the children are about.
“We are committed to creating safer communities and road safety plays a big part in ensuring the safety of us all.”
Handheld radar guns were used over the three days to monitor drivers’ speeds and add weight to the campaign.
Fife Constabulary’s road safety organiser Andrew Westwater, who helped co-ordinate the pupils’ efforts, added: “The pupils at Gateside Primary School have put a lot of effort into making signs and getting across their point about the speed some drivers do going past the school.
“The staff and pupils all hope this makes drivers think about their speed, and how anyone going over the 20mph limit at the school could be risking the children’s safety.”
Issues such as speeding can be brought up at Fife Police’s community engagement meetings.
The next public meeting for the Gateside area will be held in Auchtermuchty Town Hall on Thursday, May 5, at 7pm.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Kirkcaldy
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.