Public squarely behind Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership

A public survey has revealed a very encouraging level of support for the activities of the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership, which operates across the county.

85 per cent of those polled support the Partnership and its activities and a similar proportion considers that road safety education, training and publicity should be given the ‘highest priority’.

The Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership was formed in July 2000 to provide a one-stop-shop for road safety across the county. It comprises full time road safety specialists from the Police, County Council, Health Authority, Highways Agency and the Probation Service. The Partnership also has a number of part-time associates including the Fire and Rescue Service, the Institute of Advanced Motorists, the British Motorcycle Federation, the Chamber of Commerce, Lincolnshire Honda and the Lincolnshire Echo newspaper group.

As a result of this unique working practice the Partnership was awarded almost £500,000 from the Government’s Invest to Save fund. This funding was used to launch a countywide road safety competition jointly funded with its main sponsor, Lincolnshire Honda. Other Partnership initiatives include training for older drivers and other vulnerable drivers and the launch of an interactive web site, www.roadlincs.com.

The Partnership operates from high profile premises in Lincoln

"Almost as soon as the Partnership was formed we could see clear benefits - including the sharing of traffic data and expertise, and with regard to road design," says Greville Burgess, principal road safety co-ordinator. "The instant exchange of information means better co-ordination of activities and reduced duplication of effort - which we were not aware of prior to the formation of the Partnership.

"While I am very enthusiastic about the Partnership it must be stressed that it is not a bed of roses," Greville continues. "Although everyone is committed to ensuring its success, the management has to work extremely hard to satisfy the needs of the major funding partners. Some cultural differences still remain and not all changes happen as quickly as we might like. However, I am optimistic about the long-term future of the Partnership and strongly believe that this approach could become ‘good practice’ for a number of authorities."

Anyone wanting further information about the Partnership or its activities is welcome to contact Greville Burgess on greville.burgess@lincolnshire.gov.uk, or to arrange a visit to the Partnership’s headquarters in Lincoln.