Arriva has launched a safety campaign called Stop and Stay, which highlights the dangers of stepping out into the road. The operator has produced a booklet for schools, backed up by on-bus posters, and videos aimed at schoolchildren and parents about how to cross the road safely after getting off the bus. Arriva’s Merseyside-based risk manager will be visiting schools and taking part in school assemblies across the operator’s area to get the safety message across 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, the operator highlighted, and they often cross the road in front of a bus without looking properly and end up being struck by traffic. As the new school term starts, 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.
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. The Stop & Stay campaign was his idea, and he worked with Arriva’s marketing, digital and internal communications departments to make the idea come to life.
The team decided to release real CCTV footage showing a child of around 11 or 12 years old being struck by a car after rushing off the bus, though the child was not seriously injured. The team also produced the posters and digital booklet.
Matthew said: “One of our key values at Arriva is about doing the right thing and this is exactly what this campaign is all about. We take our responsibility both as a transport operator and as a key part of the community really seriously – we care passionately about our passengers, drivers and other road-users and we want to make sure everyone is safe.
“Our drivers are on the roads day in and day out and sadly they witness these horrible incidents, which can result in serious injury or death and we simply don’t want this. Collisions like this are often avoidable, which is why I came up with the idea.
“I hope our simple message: stop and stay – cross the road in a safe way – lands with our passengers and especially children and we can make a positive difference to road safety. The campaign doesn’t end with school visits – we’ve got plans to roll this out at key times across the year and I hope it will run and run.”
