Batley Pupils Become Ambassadors for Safety

Pupils from Hanging Heaton C of E Junior School in Batley have teamed up with Yorkshire’s gas pipeline company to spread a school holiday safety message.

The safety-conscious pupils are working with Northern Gas Networks and United Utilities to remind youngsters across the region to ‘Play Safe and Stay Safe’ by keeping away from road works during the summer holidays.

Every year, Northern Gas Networks invests more than £60 million to renew gas mains across the North of England. That means hundreds of essential road works schemes, many of which are carried out during the school summer holidays.

A number of these projects are being carried out in Kirklees during the school summer holidays including one in Hanging Heaton itself.

The work is carried out on behalf of Northern Gas Networks by their operating partner United Utilities. Barry Watson, Operations Manager at United Utilities explained: “The pupils from Hanging Heaton Junior School are great ambassadors for safety in the Kirklees area. They are helping us to spread the message that road works are just like building sites and need to be treated with respect. Playing near them or tinkering with equipment like barriers, pipes and signs can put them and other people at risk.

“Carrying out work in the school summer holidays is a great way of easing traffic disruption. The lighter days also mean we can work longer hours and help to reduce the time we need to spend in an area which is great news for residents.”

Barry added: “Safety is paramount in everything we do, but we can’t be at every road works site 24-hours a day. We really appreciate the help that the Hanging Heaton Junior School pupils are giving us in helping to spread this important safety message.

Headteacher, Lindsey Gallagher, added: “The Play Safe, Stay Safe campaign is a great way to get children thinking about safety. I hope our support can help keep youngsters safe during the summer holidays.”

United Utilities runs the region’s gas emergency service on behalf of Northern Gas Networks and responds free to gas leaks 24-hours a day.