COUNTY leaders’ pleas for more youngsters to opt for active travel alternatives to and from their schools has been responded to by a group of high school teens - who urged them to improve safety first due to their concerns.
Pupils at Penistone Grammar School raised the barriers they face in getting to school by walking, wheeling or cycling - so-called ‘active travel’ methods - with the local MP, Marie Tidball.
Despite council bosses urging youngsters to commit to doing so to both improve their health and improve safety around the school gates with parked vehicles, youngsters highlighted the dangers that they face.
The session, led by David O’Hara, health and safety governor at the school, asked a 15-strong focus group across the school about their experience using methods of active transport on their daily journey to and from the school.
He said: “We really appreciated Marie coming into school to hear what our pupils think.
“Their voice should be at the heart of decisions on road safety and active travel - they make these journeys every day.
“They know better than anyone what the risks are on the ground and they are narrow pavements, traffic signals that don’t allow enough time and dangerously fast traffic on school routes.
“We know more needs to be done and our pupils are ready to play their part - but they need others to make it happen.”
Points raised by the group included steps and accessibility issues at key entry and exit points on the Trans Pennine Trail.
This route - which connects Penistone to nearby villages, like Springvale, Oxspring and Millhouse Green - could play a greater role in enabling local children to walk or wheel to school.
Youngsters highlighted that it is currently difficult to use because of stepped access hindering to those who are in a wheelchair or are forced to carry their bike up or down the steps.
Marie, who listened to the youngsters’ experiences, said that while she supported the council’s active travel investment, pupils’ thoughts should be taken into account.
She added: “It was wonderful to return to my old school, Penistone Grammar School, to hear from pupils on road safety outside the school and the barriers to active travel that they face.
“I listened carefully to their discussion and it was useful to be able to hear their perspective on the things we need to do to improve their journeys.
“It’s very important for young people across our communities to get involved in the issues that matter to them, so it’s great that they showed a real passion for making a change to their community.
“I’m looking forward to hearing how their road safety campaign develops and will work with the school to support them.”
