Arriva launches road safety campaign

Arriva launches Stop and Stay road safety campaign aimed at helping pedestrians cross the road safely.

Arriva is highlighting the dangers of stepping out into the road as it launches a safety campaign called Stop and Stay. Now the new school term has started, the bus operator has been busy spreading advice for pupils and parents on how to cross the road safely.~

Arriva’s risk manager will be visiting schools in Merseyside and taking part in school assemblies to drive the safety message to pupils. Collisions tend to happen when children are in a hurry to make it to school or leave school and see friends and parents. They often cross the road in front of a bus without looking properly and end up being struck by traffic.

For this reason, Arriva is encouraging children – some of whom may be using the bus for the first time to get to school – to stop after getting off the bus and stay on the pavement until the bus has driven away, so that pedestrians can have a clear view of the road and cross the road safely. Arriva is displaying posters on its buses and has distributed a digital booklet to schools to help teachers push the message to children about stopping and staying before making a move to cross the road. 

Matthew Mort, Arriva’s risk manager based in Merseyside, said he is aware of on average one road accident every three months involving a child who’s just stepped off a bus and into oncoming traffic.

He said: “We understand that often children are getting off a bus at either the start or the end of the school day and they’re in a hurry.
“But I want people to know that your move off the bus could be your last unless you stop and stay.
“It’s vitally important everyone remembers this. If you cross a road without stopping for a moment, staying where you are and then crossing the road in a safe way, the consequences can be devastating.
“We’ve got one message we want you all to remember: stop and stay – cross the road in a safe way.
“One of our key values at Arriva is about doing the right thing. We don’t just get you to and from school – we care passionately about our communities and want to make sure everyone is safe.”

More information is available on our Stop and Stay webpage.