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Other
news in brief…
Students
at Llanrumney High School are riding high following an announcement
earlier in the year that the National Assembly for Wales has granted
£110,000 for the provision of safer crossing facilities, lighting
and a dual cycling/pedestrian track. The grant was made under the
Safer Routes to School initiative in recognition of project work
undertaken by an enthusiastic group of Year 11 students.
Another
grant from the National Assembly of Wales has given Cardiff
its own child pedestrian training co-ordinator. Miriam Ricketts has
been appointed to manage the Kerbcraft training scheme and will be
responsible for the recruitment and training of parent volunteers
to work with five to seven year old children in a number of primary
and infant schools.
Road
safety officers in Peterborough are supporting the national
motorcycling campaign, which launched on 1 May, with a local campaign
of their own. The campaign involves distributing two leaflets, primarily
through motorcycle dealerships – one aimed at motorcyclists (Don’t
be a statistic) and the other at drivers (Watch out for motorcyclists).
The campaign will be on-going throughout 2002 and included a presence
at the recent British Motorcycling Federation show at the East of
England Showground.
The West
Midlands has been chosen as one of sixteen centres of excellence
(COE) across England for integrated transport planning. The COE initiative
is about highlighting good practice in integrated local transport
planning and sharing experiences. "Our COE initiative is designed
to promote good practice and these authorities should be proud of
the work they have done so far," said planning and housing minister
Sally Keeble. "There is still work to do before the local transport
plans become reality but COEs can help show the way."
A part
of a re-appraisal of its provision of road safety education in secondary
schools, Leeds City Council is looking to re-stock with the
best resources currently available. Anyone with effective resources
should contact Allison Smart on 0113 247 5601 or by email at allison.smart@leeds.gov.uk.
The DTLR
is currently developing a campaign to encourage parents from the lowest
socio-economic groups and from ethnic minorities to teach road safety
messages to their children. Part of the campaign involves focus groups
to find out what type of leaflet might appeal to this audience and
the DTLR is asking RSOs to provide a variety of stimulus materials
for the focus groups. Anyone with material – particularly if
it has been translated into Bengali or Gujarati – should contact
Lisa Gossage by email at Lisa.Gossage@dtlr.gsi.gov.uk
as soon as possible please.
The Portman
Group’s designated driver campaign ‘I’ll be Des’
is to continue in 2002, with 1000 resource packs available free of
charge to help tackle drink-driving. The pack includes baseball caps,
flyers and a dispenser, keyfobs, lapel stickers and t-shirts. Orders
will be fulfilled on a first-come first-served basis and packs can
be ordered from Margaret Michie on 020 7907 3709 or by email at mmichie@portmangroup.org.uk.
The Walk
to School working group is asking as many RSOs as possible to
complete a brief evaluation form following this year’s Walk to
School Week (20 – 24 May). The form can be downloaded from the
Walk to School website, http://www.walktoschool.org.uk,
or obtained from Robert Smith at walktoschool@dorset-cc.gov.uk
LARSOA
has received a request for help from a road safety professional working
in Southern Africa. Amos Motsheqwe works for the Department
of Road Transport and Safety in Botswana, one of the few African countries
with a significant crash and casualty problem- largely as a result
of speeding and drink driving (sounds familiar?). Amos is asking RSOs
in the UK to email or send him examples of successful campaigns and
other relevant road safety information. His email address is amotshegwe@hotmail.com
and his postal address is: Department of Road Transport and Safety,
P/Bag 0054 Gaborone, Botswana. Southern Africa. Telephone 09267 305
422
RSOs
in Peterborough have also joined forces with the DTLR to promote
the ‘Think! Switch it off when you drive’ campaign to warn
drivers of the dangers of using a mobile phone while driving. The
message is plastered on posters, pinned up in work places across the
city, and aired on radio and TV, in a bid to convey how the distraction
of a mobile can impair a driver’s concentration. Posters and
leaflets are also being sent to local mobile phone retailers.
Places
on a safer driving course organised by Hertfordshire County Council
are being eagerly snapped up. The six-week theory course covers
a wide range of defensive driving techniques and teaches drivers how
to control a vehicle in a skid - and how to avoid a skid in the first
place. The courses begin on 10 June and cost £36 (£28
for the unemployed, retired or students). The price includes textbooks,
an assessment and demonstration drives. More information is available
by email from guy.bradley@hertscc.gov.uk
Essex
County Council hosted a seminar on 28 May in a bid to halt the
significant increase in motor cycle casualties across the county in
the past 12 months. Casualties have risen from 577 in 1996 to 779
in 2001, with 24 fatal motorcycle casualties in 2001 compared to 16
in the previous year. The invited audience included representatives
from a wide range of interested bodies with the potential to influence
motorcyclists. The seminar will be covered in more detail next month.
And
finally...
...the copy deadline for issue 8 of the THINK! newsletter is
30 June and LARSOA members are invited to put forward stories for
inclusion. Anyone with a story they think may be suitable should contact
Stephen Bethel at the DTLR on 020 7944 3399.
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