Pupils at Saltford C of E School were given a close up look at one of Bath & North East Somerset Council’s road gritting lorries as part of a road safety day.
The council teamed up with its contractor VolkerHighways to give each class an opportunity to see the gritter and were given road safety information and tips. The council also provided the school with educational resources to help with its road safety week, which will include a design competition where the winner’s road safety sign will be displayed in front of the school.
Councillor Manda Rigby, Cabinet Member for Highways, said, “It’s really important to get children thinking about how they can always stay safe on our roads, not just when travelling to and from school. This was a great way to support the school ahead of its own road safety week, giving pupils the chance to see one of our gritters, ask questions and find out how it works.”
A spokesperson from the school said, “It was a lovely chance for all the children to get up close to see how it works and the scale of the machine. We were also entertained by Kerby the Cone who reminded the children about safety when they are near a road.”
The council operates nine gritting lorries from its Clutton depot and Keynsham Recycling Centre. Pupils were shown how the gritter works, taught how spreading road salt makes roads safer for road users and were given safety information and tips, like which vehicle lights to look out for and how to avoid vehicle blind spots.