Schools spend money to educate parents about dangers of bad driving

Four primary schools have bid for hundreds of pounds to improve road safety around their grounds.

The cash will pay for signs – including those depicting cartoon characters spelling out to parents the dangers cars present to children.

High Lawn, Holy Infants, Sharples and The Oaks primary schools will each receive £300 awarded by ward councillors at the local area forum for a range of measures proposed by each of the schools.

The money has come from a fund to improve road safety in the area.

Astley Bridge councillors John Walsh, Hilary Fairclough and Paul Wild invited the schools to bid for funds for projects to "remind parents of the risks to road safety when parents drop off or park too close to the schools".

Holy Infants and The Oaks will use the funds buy free-standing signs based on a cartoon character with a serious message reminding parents of the dangers to children.

At High Lawn the cash will pay towards the costs of additional school markings and yellow lines as part of a wider programme of road markings in Astley Bridge. Funded in part by Area Forum, the school markings at High Lawn Primary School will be supplemented with additional signs around the school boundary.

Sharples Primary School is considering a series of signs and direct messages to parents after years of inconsiderate parking by mums and dads outside the school, despite please from parents.

Cllr Walsh said: "Road safety is an issue at all schools. We hope that inviting schools to decide on the best way to use the funds will bring home to parents the dangers of parking too close to schools.

"As ward councillors we have been working with residents and highway engineers on a series of yellow lines to keep junctions clear and these additional funds to the schools for projects specifically proposed by the schools will be a further benefit."

The Bolton News has reported on a number of recent accidents in the Astley Bridge area.