Hartlepool pupils using their artistic talents to spread road safety message

Children from Throston Primary School, on the Throston Grange estate, used their artistic skills to design themed posters for a competition promoting road safety.

Amber Arnell, 8, Emily Lynn, 8, Zakk Green, 6, and Tegan Smith, 10, were chosen as the winners, and their artwork will now be used in new 20mph speed limit signs on the roads around their school.

The posters were designed by the school children as part of a safety scheme that aims to make children safer as they make the journey to and from school.

Pupils at the school were invited to take part in the poster competition by Justin Goult from Hartlepool Borough Council’s Road Safety Team who said the quality of entries was really high.

He said: “We want to ensure that drivers are aware of the new, reduced speed limit and came up with the idea of involving pupils in this way.

“All of the poster competition entries were of a really high quality and choosing the winners was no easy task.

“I’d like to congratulate all of the pupils who entered on their efforts and, in particular, the four winners.

“The winning designs are really eye-catching and once they are in place on the 20mph signs they should certainly help to focus drivers’ attention on the new speed limit.”

The reduced 20mph speed limit was introduced after traffic concerns were raised about the speed of vehicles on Throston Primary School’s two main approach roads of Torbay Grove and Anglesey Grove.