Initiative launched to promote safe driving and parking around schools in Leith area.

Police and their local authority partners in Edinburgh have launched a new initiative to promote safe driving and parking around schools within the Leith area.

The Safer Schools Safer Links project is a roads safety campaign funded by the Leith Links Community Council, in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council and two local schools.

Both St Mary’s R.C. Primary School and Leith Primary School have participated in designing and painting wooden planters, which all display a road safety message encouraging motorists to drive and park appropriately.

These planters will be positioned in various locations near to each school as a reminder to parents, guardians and anyone else travelling through these areas to help keep the pupils safe.

To mark the launch, which takes place on Monday 12th June at the Leith Links, the specially-designed planters will be unveiled to those in attendance, including MSP Ben Macpherson.

Sergeant Niven Bull from Leith Police Station said: “One of the issues we continually deal with in Leith relates to the inappropriate parking and driving of vehicles around school areas.

“With so many young people making their way to and from school five days a week, it is essential that motorists take appropriate care when driving so as not to put vulnerable road users at risk.

“Thanks to funding from the Leith Links Community Council and the support of City of Edinburgh Council and the two participating primary schools, we’ve got some really great designs for the planters and hopefully everyone will take note not of not only the artwork, but the messages they are displaying.

“Road safety remains one of our top priorities and we will continue to work with all of our relevant partner agencies to keep the road networks safe for all who use them.”

Paul Lawrence, Director of Place, the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Inconsiderate driving and parking around schools can be extremely dangerous so we fully support this initiative to tackle the issue. Well done to the pupils for creating these eye-catching road safety planters  – they really stand out and should be a very clear reminder to all road users to drive and park carefully.

“We and our parking enforcement contractor NSL support the excellent work carried out by the project and look forward to working with the community to ensure the roads around the schools are kept clear and safe.  We encourage parents to leave the car at home and walk, scoot or cycle to school with their child.  It cuts congestion and makes it much safer at the school gates.”

Michael Traill from Leith Links Community Council said: “Leith Links Community Council is proud to have been able to award these school pupils the funding they needed to deliver their project. Young people working to make their community a safer place is the type of positive citizenship we want to encourage.”