Around 150 primary six and seven pupils took part in a variety of interactive indoor and outdoor workshops designed to equip them with the skills to promote safety messaging to their peers and communities.

The council's Road Safety mascot, Ziggy, welcomed the new intake of Junior Road Safety Officers (JRSOs) at an event at Chatelherault Country Park.

During the event, they were also given hands-on access to a variety of vehicles, including council HGVs and a range of emergency service and enforcement vehicles, to build an understanding of road hazards from a driver’s perspective.

Key organisations involved on the day included:

• Police Scotland
• Safety Cameras Scotland
• British Horse Society
• Healthy Valleys
• Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Councillor Davie McLachlan, Chair of the council’s Roads Safety Forum, said: “It’s fantastic to see the continued support for the Junior Road Safety Officer Scheme from our schools, council services and partner agencies who joined us at the open day.

“JRSOs play an important role in promoting road safety awareness among their classmates and encouraging safer behaviours that can benefit them throughout their lives.

“The enthusiasm and commitment shown by these pupils is inspiring. They are doing an excellent job of sharing important road safety messages within their schools and wider communities, and I wish them every success in their role.”

As part of their official JRSO roles, the young leaders will organise peer-led initiatives, design educational noticeboards and run safety campaigns in their schools. These will highlight topics such as pedestrian safety, cyclist awareness, and safe travel practices, and promote local and national campaigns.