Pupils’ work promotes safe parking
Creative youngsters in Nuneaton and Bedworth have been putting safety first to design posters warning people of the dangers of parking on zig-zag lines.
The competition, organised by Warwickshire County Council’s Community Safety team and supported by local Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) was open to pupils at primary, infant and junior schools.
The children were asked to design a poster from their perspective to warn people about why they shouldn’t park on these lines. The team kept the brief very open giving the children a chance to get really imaginative.
A winning entrant from each of the twelve participating schools received book vouchers and overall winner Ellie Wall aged 11, from Wheelwright Lane Primary School in Bedworth will get to see her artwork produced as a banner for all schools in the borough to display. Ellie will receive her prize at a presentation event held at the school on 16 April.
Parking on the yellow zig-zag lines found outside schools reduces visibility for pedestrians, causes difficulties crossing and increases the risk of hazards especially for smaller children who have no clear line of sight around the parked vehicles.
The idea for the competition came about to address the issue which has been raised by local people repeatedly at Nuneaton and Bedworth community forums. Getting the young people involved in awareness raising like this helps to support the work of neighbourhood PCSOs to improve safety in the community, and enhances their links with the borough’s schools.
Community Safety Project Officer Helen Earp said: “The standard of the entries was really high and the pupils put a lot of effort in to creating their posters.
“We hope by displaying the winning design outside schools more people will be reminded of the potential dangers caused by parking on the lines and will be encouraged not to do this.”
Warwickshire County Council’s Nuneaton and Bedworth Area Committee have provided funding to produce the banners and the prizes for the schools were supplied by Nuneaton and Bedworth Neighbourhood Watch Association.