A CAMPAIGN to help younger drivers and make the highways safer has received royal recognition.

West Berkshire Council's road safety officer Cheryl Evans collected the award from Prince Michael himself at a special ceremony in London.

The DriveStart scheme started in 2012 to reduce the risk of accidents among younger and inexperienced drivers and was recognised with the Prince Michael International Road Safety Award.

Jeanette Clifford, the council's executive member for Highways and Transport said: "It is a superb project that prepares our young people for the freedom and fun of driving by helping them become careful, confident and responsible on the road.

"It gives them precious hands-on experience and practical guidance in a realistic but safe setting – so much better than just taking to the highways without any training, a worry for many parents and carers.

"This ground-breaking scheme demonstrates how ambitious we are about road safety.”