In line with its commitment to invest significantly in various road safety projects on the N4 and N1 corridors, the Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire (Bakwena) has dedicated complete support to the Second United Nations Global Road Safety Week, which is being held from 6 to 12 May 2013.
The Week will draw attention to the urgent need to better protect pedestrians worldwide, generate action on the measures needed to do so, and contribute to achieving the goal of the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, of saving five million lives.
The awareness week was officially launched by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) on 4 May, which hosted a walk from Baragwanath Hospital Bridge to the Nike Sports Centre in Soweto.
Bakwena, which is a member of the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP-ZA), is supporting the UN Road Safety Week by involving several primary schools in “Safe Walks” on 7, 8 and 9 May.
The objectives in this regard include alerting motorists to the special needs of child pedestrians, urging them to slow down in the vicinity of schools, and encouraging motorists to respect the 60km/h and 80km/h speed zones on rural roads.
Other goals pertain to increasing teacher attentiveness to learners’ vulnerability while walking, raising awareness amongst learners of risks posed to them, and urging learners to use the walking and crossing facilities provided on the N1 and N4 National Roads.
The programme will start in Bapong, on the N4 between Brits and Rustenburg, with learners from the Segwethlane Primary School crossing the N4 by making use of the pedestrian bridge.
About 200 learners from this school cross the N4 daily, and although most of them now use this pedestrian facility, the project will reconfirm the importance of the bridge.
In the Dinokana community, about 20km east of the Botswana Border (Lobatse), seven primary schools will take part in the “Safe Walk” on 8 May. All these schools have scholar patrols supported by Bakwena and Provincial Road Safety, with Bakwena providing equipment and training to these schools.
The schools in the area taking part in the awareness week are Bosgakobo, Renonfile, Monnaamere, Keobusitse, Ikalafeng, Moreotsile and Dikhudu.
In Hammanskraal on the N1, five primary schools will cross the N1 using the pedestrian bridge and tunnel on 9 May, including Lebelo, Lethamaga Primary, Maroloklong, Mokonyama and St Camillus Close. The learners will carry banners with different slogans urging motorists to respect pedestrians.
Bakwena CEO Graeme Blewitt concludes that the company’s backing of the Road Safety Week is reflective of its organisational values.
To view some Photographs of the day please click here to go to our Facebook page www.facebook.com/BakwenaN1N4