A NEW road safety awards scheme aimed at school pupils was launched as it was revealed the number of children seriously injured on the city's roads fell by 41% and for only the second time on record no child was killed.

Glasgow Lord Provost Sadie Docherty launched the scheme and awards which will be presented to city schools which deliver road safety education and training.

Mrs Docherty met pupils from St Paul's Primary in Tollcross and Quarry Brae Primary in Parkhead to present the first awards.

Schools which want to enter can request the services of road safety staff by visiting the Go Safe Glasgow website at www.gosafeglasgow.com

They will be given the necessary support and guidance to plan a programme of work to help them reach targets.

Mrs Docherty said: "Teaching road safety skills to our pupils is vital to ensure children learn pedestrian skills from an early age to prepare them for independent travel later on in their school life.

"I am looking forward to presenting schools with the award when they have reached the target.

"Glasgow is progressing well towards the national child road casualty targets.

"This could not have been achieved without the support and the hard work of all staff and partners involved in the promotion and delivery of road safety education.

"As an extension of the award, our road safety unit is offering every school in the city the opportunity to develop a new road safety action plan which will contain challenging road safety education targets to 2015."

Alistair Watson, the council's land and environment spokesman, said: "Our road safety team does a great job and is making a real impact in the reduction of casualties.

"They will develop a new and innovative casualty reduction plan for each area in the city and encourage all schools, businesses, services and enforcement agencies to work together in reducing casualties."

vivienne.nicoll@eveningtimes.co.uk