Bus back campaign runs across Wales

Throughout February and March, almost 250 buses operating throughout the 22 local authority areas in Wales will be displaying an advertisement advising drivers against using their mobile phone while at the wheel.

The campaign, which uses the simple bilingual slogan 'Switch it off! Diffoddwch e!'will be accompanied by an intensive two-week enforcement campaign by all four Welsh police forces, beginning on Tuesday 9 March.

The £20,000 advertising campaign, jointly funded by the local authorities and the Welsh Assembly Government, follows the introduction of the new ‘mobile phone while driving’ legislation, which came into force on 1 December 2003.

The initiative is another example of how road safety agencies in Wales are working together to complement publicity and enforcement campaigns, in particular through the Road Safety Council of Wales (RoSCOW). RoSCOW is a partnership of local authorities, the Welsh police forces, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), that promotes road safety education, training and publicity throughout the Principality.

For further information contact sbaker@rospa.com