NEWS RELEASE

7 September 2012

School road patrols to parade through the city

To celebrate the efforts of school patrols to improve road safety around their schools, over 1300 children, representing over half of all Wellington primary schools will march through the city in the annual Orange Day street parade next Friday (14 September).

Dressed in orange, the school patrollers will march from Parliament along Lambton Quay and Willis Street to Civic Square and a celebration at the Wellington Town Hall.

The march will start at 10am, with delays expected along this route until about 10.45am due to a rolling road closure for the event.

Wellington Police Education Officer Constable Duncan Ashton, who trains school patrols, says patrollers do a great job for their schools and communities by improving safety during the busiest times on the roads.

"They are volunteering their time out there, so the parade is about giving them a reward, as well as reminding Wellingtonians to drive safely near schools," he says.

Kevin McKenna, Executive Director at Transfield, which supplies the patrollers’ jackets, says the company recognises the importance of keeping young people safe.

"Providing high visibility jackets for school children nationwide reinforces the importance we place on safety and is our way of giving back to the communities in which we work.”

The event is sponsored by Wellington City Council, New Zealand Police, Transfield and Pak'n Save, Kilbirnie.

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