Zig zag bandits beware - these pupils are after you
ROGUE drivers beware – Glasgow’s newest traffic safety wardens have been named and they are determined to get results.
Each year two pupils are chosen from every city primary school to work with Glasgow City Council’s Road Safety staff.
Yesterday around 300 youngsters attended a special event at the City Chambers to be officially named Junior Road Safety Officers (JRSO).
The scheme, which has been running since 2005, aims to encourage better road safety behaviour from pupils – and their parents.
This year’s cohort of enthusiastic pupils are determined to cut traffic around their schools and stamp down on selfish parents parking on zigzag lines.
Cara Gilfillan, 10, Sara Farsad, 10, and John McIvor, 11, from St Charles’ Primary said zig zag parking is the bane of their school.
Parents take risks outside the North Kelvinside primary but these young people are determined to stop it.
Cara said: “Outside our school there’s quite a bit of parking problems and parents coming and parking on zig zags.
“It has been a problem for a long time and Junior Road Safety Officers before us have all tried to sort it out but the parents don’t listen.
“But we are putting in place new strategies and trying new things so we are sure we will be able to do something.
“It’s really dangerous and we need to make it stop.”
Youngsters pledge to display a noticeboard in their schools with road safety information and advice.
They also organise and run road safety competitions and deliver talks.
The role is considered an important one for pupils and at yesterday’s induction day they were given resources to help carry out their duties.
Maria Stewart, 11, from St Maria Goretti Primary, plans to tackle cycling in her school.
She said: “I had to fill in an application form in my school to take part and my plan is to tackle people who ride their bikes without helmets. They think they are too cool to wear a helmet but it’s really dangerous.”
Councillor Anna Richardson, City Convener for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction, was at the Chambers to meet the new JRSOs. She said: “We would encourage parents to get out of their cars and use other methods to travel to school but to do so they need to know the roads are safe.
“So initiatives like this are all part of a bigger strategy to make our roads and our transport system better.”