Year Six pupils from 14 local primary schools across the Rochford District have met to discuss road safety issues at the fifth Annual Speed Conference.

The Conference, which was also attended by the Chairman of Rochford District Council, Councillor Derrick Stansby, was held at Rawreth Village Hall.

The yearly event is organised and run by Essex County Council’s Road Safety Team and is a forum where pupils and teachers can share and discuss the results of speed surveys conducted outside each school.

Among the findings from the school’s surveys were: people not wearing seatbelts, speeding, cars with a single occupant and parking issues.

Representatives from each school were able to have their questions and concerns addressed by the Police and County Council Highways and Transportation teams who also attended.

The attendees also came up with several ideas to help ease parking congestion and raise awareness of issues in their own areas.

The Chairman of Rochford District Council, Councillor Derrick Stansby, said: “It is pleasing to see young people from across the Rochford District work so hard on the surveys they carried out. What was also good to see was that they carefully considered the results and came up with some excellent ideas to alleviate problems in their area.
Road safety is such an important issue for young people so it is vitally important that they learn good habits now as it will benefit them in the future.”

Also present on the day were Essex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and the 2012 Games, Councillor Stephen Castle and the Chairman of Rayleigh Town Council, Councillor Mrs Margaret Spencer.