Pupils take to the streets as part of national road safety campaign

As part of Brake's Kids' Walk, South Yorkshire Active Travel Commissioner and three times Olympic gold medallist Ed Clancy was at Northfield Primary School in Wickersley, to talk to children about road safety and the joys of cycling, walking and wheeling.

According to new research published by Brake, more than three-quarters (78 per cent) of parents and carers surveyed would like roads near their home and children’s schools to have a speed limit of 20mph.

Of the 2,000 parents and carers of primary schoolchildren surveyed, more than two-thirds (69 per cent) would like their children to walk or wheel to school more often, but say they can’t because the roads are too busy (39 per cent) while nearly a quarter (24 per cent) has concerns over the speed of traffic.

Meanwhile, the latest Department for Transport figures show that 686 children aged four to 11 were harmed on roads in Yorkshire and the Humber in 2022.

Thousands of children from the same age range took part in Brake's latest campaign including pupils at the school on Northfield Lane who were joined by South Yorkshire Active Travel Commissioner and Olympian Ed Clancy and Brake's campaigns manager Lucy Straker.

They took a short, supervised walk around their schools and community, carrying banners and posters, provided by Brake, to help raise awareness of the things they need to help keep them safe near roads including slower traffic and better cycle paths.

Brake's Lucy Straker said: “Evidence shows us that by lowering the speed limits and reducing the number of vehicles on our roads, we also reduce the risk of people being harmed.

"This new research from Brake also shows us that people want 20mph speed limits around their homes and their children’s schools.

“So, we call on the future leaders of our country to prioritise safety on roads across our communities, by implementing 20mph as the default speed limit on roads in residential and built-up areas.

“We must keep our children safe!”