ADULTS are being urged to take advantage of a law change that allows school patrol wardens to help them cross the road in safety.

The changes, in the Transport 2000 Act, will be in operation from Tuesday, next week.

In the past, wardens have only had the power to stop traffic for children of compulsory school age and accompanying adults between 8am and 5.30pm.

Hartlepool Borough Council's road safety officer, Paul Watson, said: "This means, for example, that a warden will be able to escort a parent returning home with a child below school age after dropping off an older child at school.

"This relaxation in the rules will also help the elderly or people with mobility problems who might find it easier to cross a road at a point where there is a school crossing patrol warden.

"We have already made significant progress in reducing road accidents on the town's roads, and this should help us to build upon those improvements.

"I would now urge people to take advantage of the new rules. There is no embarrassment about being escorted across the road if it reduces the risk of an accident.