Scrum on down road safety art winner Erin

SCARLETS stars caused a scrum among 230 pupils at Pembrey Primary School when they turned up to present 10-year-old Erin Meadows with a prize for her winning road safety painting.

There were cheers and whoops of delight when Josh Turnbull and Kirby Myhill strode into the school hall to congratulate Erin for her winning “walking bus” painting.

Head teacher Helen Jacob explained it had been difficult selecting an entry from so many pupils but it had been highly appropriate the competition organised to promote the schools walking bus should have been won by the daughter of the school’s popular lollipop lady, Alison.

Mrs Jacob said more children were joining the walking bus following the completion of the a £558,000 grant scheme from the Welsh Government to fund footpath upgrades, cycleways and traffic management throughout Pembrey.

There was public consultation for the scheme drawn up by Carmarthenshire council’s transport and engineering team supported by the Carmarthrenshire’s Community Safety Partnership’s Road Safety Action Group with the aim of improving road safety in the community and to encourage greater use of walking and cycling as a viable means of transport.

Local members, the school and Pembrey and Burry Port Town Council, were also heavily involved in developing the scheme completed on schedule last year.

Mrs Jacob said the school as a result of the all the improvements had been encouraging pupils to walk and cycle with the council’s road safety unit.

Improvements had included an upgraded path over Stanley Bridge and through dunes to the Ashburhham golf course to link to the Millennium Coastal Path and also better walking and cycling links to Pembrey Country Park.

One of he most important improvements and called for enhancements was creating within the scheme traffic calming along the congested Ashburnham Road, where the school is located, to create safer environment for pupils accessing the school by walking and cycling.

CAPTION:

SCRUMMY ART : PEMBREY Primary School pupil Erin Meadows, is flanked by Scarlet’s rugby stars Josh Turnbull and Kirby Myhill who presented her with a Scarlet’s rugby club hoodie for her winning art “walking bus” competition entry.

They are joined by Pembrey Cllr Huw Shepardson, teacher and school health and safety officer Sian Thomas; county’s transport special projects officer, Matthew Howells; Pembrey Cllr Shirley Williams and county assistant road safety officer Nicola Olsson with the school’s 230 pupils in the background.

Pic: Jeff Connell.