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Week
Commencing 24 June 2002
Speeding
‘endemic’, Select Committee concludes
No
doubt about last week’s big story - the report of the House
of Commons Transport Select Committee Inquiry into Road Traffic
Speed, which was published on Wednesday 19 June.
The report is overtly critical of the Government and in its conclusion
states that ‘Britain has one of the worst child pedestrian
safety records in Europe’ and that speeding is ‘endemic’.
It goes on to state that ‘excessive and inappropriate speed
is the largest single contributor to deaths and serious injuries
on our roads and significantly reduces the quality of life in many
urban and rural areas’.
The report urges the Government to ensure that ‘all local and
police authorities give reducing road traffic speed the same priority
as the best’ and specifically challenges it to:-
- improve the National Safety Camera Scheme by allowing local and
police authorities to decide where to site cameras; and ensure that
the whole country is covered (by the scheme) by 2004
- issue revised guidance to local authorities about speed limits…
in particular, that 30 mph should be the speed in villages
- re-engineer roads to ensure that speed limits are obeyed and to
make them safer and more pleasant for pedestrians
- ensure that funding of Local Transport Plans is dependent on measures
to reduce speeds; and
- make road safety a priority for the Ten Year Plan and provide
specific funds for a national programme to re-engineer and re-design
our roads.
The publication is available from The Stationery Office, telephone
08457 023474 or online at: http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk.
The report is also covered in Local Transport Today 20 June (front
cover) and Surveyor, 20 June (page 3).
DfT announces grants for cycling projects
Transport
minister John Spellar has announced funding for ten cycling projects
from the DfT’s £2 million Cycling Projects Fund, which
was launched in March 2002.
The Fund will be used to support organisations from the public and
private sectors, health and education sectors and cycling groups,
to provide facilities likely to encourage more cycling.
"These projects cover a wide range of initiatives, all designed
to lead to an increase in cycling," Mr Spellar said at the start
of last week’s Great Parliamentary Bike Ride. "I believe
the Cycling Projects Fund will kick-start growth in cycling and help
us reach the targets for increased cycling in the National Cycling
Strategy."
The successful projects come from a variety of organisations and are
based in different parts of the country. Examples are the provision
of cycle lockers and cycle racks for staff of The St George's Healthcare
Trust in London, and additional cycle facilities for staff and students
at the University of Bristol. A full list of the projects is on the
DfT website, http://www.dft.gov.uk/news.
Over £800,000 remains available this year to support projects
and the bidding window remains open until the end of July.
BMF
claims bikers are ‘bucking accident trend’
The British Motorcycle Federation (BMF) is claiming that powered two
wheelers (PTWs) is the only road traffic sector to show a decrease
in fatalities in 2001. It bases the claim on the Government’s
casualty figures reported here last week.
According to the BMF, 2001 PTW fatalities in 2001 were down 4 per
cent on the year 2000 figure to 581, against a backdrop of overall
road deaths increasing by 1 per cent in 2001. The number of seriously
injured PTW riders also fell by 1 per cent to 6,718.
The BMF press release goes on to say that the figures show that the
number of car user deaths in 2001 rose by 5 per cent to 1,744 and
the number of pedal cyclists killed rose by 9 per cent to 138.
More @ http://www.bmf.co.uk
Motorway
speed limit to be increased?
The
Government is still considering whether to raise the motorway speed
limit to 80mph, according to the annual report of the Motorists’
Forum. Earlier in the year home secretary David Blunkett was pressing
for the limit to be raised but the ninth annual House of Commons Transport
Select Committee report, which was released last week, came out against
the idea (Local Transport Today 20 June).
Road
safety guide published for Road Safety Week 2002
Brake
has produced a free road safety guide to accompany Road Safety Week
2002, which takes place 23-29 September 2002. The guide is intended
for people wanting to set up a road safety campaign to make their
neighbourhood a safer place in which to drive, cycle and walk. Road
Safety Week 2002 is a nationwide initiative to prevent road deaths
and injuries through local community activities and a media campaign.
For more information either call Brake on 01484 559909, or visit
its website at http://www.brake.org.uk.
Minister
urged to make cycling intervention in West Midlands
The cycle
campaign group CTC has urged the transport secretary to intervene
over the West Midlands conurbation authorities’ decision to abandon
attempts to meet the Government’s national cycling target, as
reported here last week.
The CTC’s director Kevin Mayne said the authorities’ decision
would undermine the efforts of the National Cycling Strategy Board
to achieve the Government’s target (Local Transport Today, 20
June).
Broad
focus for SRSC annual event
The
Scottish Road Safety Campaign (SRSC) annual seminar 2002 will focus
upon child road safety, driver behaviour and vulnerable road users.
The seminar will take place 30-31 October at the Peebles Hydro Hotel
in the Scottish Borders. The fee is £110 plus VAT for non-forum
members, inclusive of overnight accommodation. Further information
and an application form can be obtained from the SRSC at Heriot-Watt
Research Park North, Riccarton, Currie EH14 4AP or from Iain Richardson
at Iain.Richardson@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.
Motorists
‘ignoring’ 20mph zones
Norfolk
County Council is to review its five signed-only 20mph zones after
evidence that the majority of motorists are travelling through them
at 30mph. The council has received representations from action groups
voicing disappointment and requesting that steps should be taken to
ensure compliance with the 20mph limit (Local Transport Today, 20
June).
EC
considers move to increase driver liability
The
European Commission is considering making car drivers liable in
the case of any accident involving a cyclist or pedestrian, according
to a report on the Bike Europe website. The proposal is based on
the fact that the risk of injury always comes from the car.
This approach was considered in the Netherlands five years ago,
but after strong lobbying from motoring groups a compromise was
reached that sees car drivers liable for at least 50 per cent of
any damage in such cases.
More @ http://www.bike-eu.com
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