Hundreds of children in Leeds march to demand safer roads

Children across Leeds will take to their streets today to raise awareness of the five children who are killed or injured on Yorkshire's roads every day.

The national project, led by road charity Brake, is helping youngsters call for key measures to make roads safer.

To mark the movement the true extent of child casualties on Leeds's roads are being revealed.

Latest Department for Transport (DfT) figures1 show that 1,719 children were killed or injured on roads in Yorkshire and the Humber in 2016. On average, nearly five children die or suffer injuries as a result of road crashes every single day. That’s the equivalent of a classroom full every week.

Across Yorkshire, Leeds has the greatest number of child road casualties with 299 injuries or deaths recorded each year.More than 50 schools and nurseries from across the region are uniting with Brake's Kids Walk, calling for five measures to help keep them safe: footpaths, cycle paths, safe places to cross, slow traffic and clean traffic.

Short, supervised walks are taking place today and all week at or around schools and nurseries.

Dave Nichols, community engagement manager for Brake, the road safety charity, said: “It is every child's right to be able to walk in their community without fear of traffic and pollution. But many kids are unable to do so because they don’t have access to simple measures such as footpaths, cycle paths and safe places to cross. Many more have to contend with fast traffic and pollution from vehicle emissions. If we want more children and their families to walk in Yorkshire and the Humberside, then we need to make sure their journeys are safe."