CHILDREN from Mary Tavy and Brentor Primary School marched for road safety yesterday (Wednesday), as part of Brake's annual Giant Walking Bus, joining 104,428 children taking part across the UK.

The event aimed to celebrate the benefits of walking and calls on drivers to 'GO 20' — slow down to 20 or below around homes, schools and shops — to protect children on foot and enable more to walk.

It also calls for more pedestrian and cycle safety measures such as widespread 20mph limits and safe pavements, paths and crossings.

Every school day in the UK, 23 children are run over and hurt when walking or cycling to or from school and four of these children are killed or suffer serious, sometimes life-long, injuries.

Nicky Pratten, head teacher at Mary Tavy and Brentor primary School, said: 'We're delighted to be once again taking part in the Giant Walking Bus, because it is a fantastic event that helps to promote road safety to children, parents and local drivers.'

Mrs Pratten said pupils would be marching two by two, encouraging motorists to slow down to make local roads safer.

Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive, Brake, the road safety charity, said: 'Many parents are in a difficult situation when it comes to letting their kids walk or cycle, often forced to weigh up the benefits of their kids being active and getting out and about with the risk of their child being knocked down and hurt.

'We need to make it easier for them by making roads safer for children and people of all ages.

'We're appealing to drivers to take the simple step of slowing down to 20mph or less around homes, schools and shops.

'We're also urging the government and more local authorities to work towards 20mph being the norm across all our communities, to help kids get walking without being put in danger.'

The Giant Walking Bus is an annual event which teachers about traffic pollution, danger and transport choices.