Be Bright, Be Seen was the dress code at Island schools recently as youngsters learnt about road safety when travelling to and from school during darker mornings and evenings.
Wight Cycle Training visited a number of schools to deliver a variety of Be Bright Be Seen activities to promote the importance of being seen by other road users. The activities were organised by the team through a sustainable travel education programme called Shift It, which is part of the Isle of Wight Council’s Access Fund for Sustainable Travel — £1.3 million won from the Department for Transport.
An active travel assembly and fundraising day was held at All Saints Primary School in Freshwater, raising an amazing £83.00 for the Child Brain Injury Trust, as well as the pupils being encouraged to bike, scoot, walk and cycle to school during their Active Travel month.
Arreton Primary School pupils had an assembly looking at the importance of using reflective clothing, head torches and having lights on bikes before designing their own back packs and cycling helmets, as part of a school-wide competition.
St Saviour’s Primary School in Ventnor had an assembly about active travel and road safety before all classes took to the streets to practise their new skills before returning to school and designing their own cycle helmets.
Councillor Ian Ward, Cabinet member for infrastructure and transport said:
“The Be Bright, Be Seen campaign is a great way to remind youngsters about how to travel safely, whether it is on foot, bike, scooter or skateboard, and it is great that pupils have really taken on board the safety message.
“With winter comes poor light conditions, which means journeys to and from school in poor visibility. Be bright, be seen is a message for pupils to understand how wearing bright, fluorescent and reflective clothing helps you to be seen more easily, and reflective strips on bags or helmets also help you stand out.”
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Nicky Metcalf, Wight Cycle Training schools officer added:
“During the darker winter months, it is all the more important to make sure you are visible to motorists when you are walking to school, scooting to after school clubs or cycling on the road.
“The children really enjoyed the Be Bright Be Seen activities we carried out and now have the road safety skills to make sure they and their parents can continue choosing healthier and more sustainable travel choices for the school run.”
The Shift It programme builds on work over the last 2 years, which has seen cycling to school increase by 1.3 per cent, scooting and skating to school rise by three per cent and car journeys fall by over 5%.
