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OTHER NEWS IN BRIEF - W/C 12 JULY 2004

PACTS welcomes three year road safety review
PACTS has published its response to the Government’s three-year review of the 2010 road safety targets.

In the document PACTS welcomes the review and notes that considerable progress has been made towards the targets. It also describes the review as a ‘welcome example of Government transparency in its assessment of progress’.

However, PACTS also goes on to say that it will be important to avoid complacency, and that for the targets to be met considerable further action will be required.

PACTS is keen to hear from road safety professionals on this subject – contact details are included in the document, which can be read by clicking here.

RoSPA seeks speakers for its 2005 road safety congress
RoSPA is seeking speakers for its 2005 national road safety congress, which is titled Driving Deaths Down. RoSPA wants to hear from accident prevention experts with ideas that could make a difference to the statistics, which ‘show road deaths in Great Britain at their highest level for six years’.

Kevin Clinton, RoSPA head of road safety, said: "It was extremely worrying to see road deaths going above the 3,500 mark in 2003. We know the Government is on target for a 40 per cent reduction in deaths and serious injuries by 2010 when the two figures are taken together, but something more has to be done to cut the number of people being killed.

"It could be that we have achieved the 'easy wins' and further progress may be much harder. There are real concerns about the growing number of deaths involving car occupants and motorcyclists. We need to explore what can be done to influence driver and rider behaviour to prevent crashes from happening."

Subjects to be covered are likely to include driver and rider education and training, driver and rider behaviour, car occupants, vehicles and enforcement. Potential speakers should submit an abstract of up to 500 words by 10 September to Kevin Clinton, RoSPA, 353 Bristol Road, Birmingham B5 7ST.

The conference will be held at the Hilton Brighton Metropole, 28 February – 2 March 2005. Bookings are already being taken for the congress, which was a sell-out this year.

For more details visit http://www.rospa.com/road/
Ministers reject calls to define a ‘safe route’ to school
The Government has rejected calls from MPs for a legal definition of a ‘safe route’ to school (Surveyor, 1 July).

A report by the Commons Transport Committee argued that the draft School Transport Bill should guarantee free bus transport where roads do not meet this safety standard, or journeys exceed new maximum walking distances.

In its reply, the DfT argued that safety is not absolute and would depend on factors such as the age and experience of the child and the traffic and weather on the day. 'Ultimately it is for local authorities to decide what kind of LTP will deliver the best possible road safety outcomes,' the DfT response states.

It adds that lowering the walking distances – set in 1996 at three miles, and two miles for under eights – could reduce the number of older children currently walking or cycling between one and three miles to school.

A departmental working party is considering amendments to the relevant transport acts to allow more radical experiments by the 20 council pilots.
Britain’s best young drivers - the hunt is on
RoSPA’s Advanced Drivers Association has launched its annual competition to find Britain’s best young drivers.

Prizes for the winners of the Young Driver of the Year competition will include CIS motor insurance vouchers to the value of £2,500, plus training and a competition licence to race in the Uniroyal Team Challenge at a major UK circuit.

"Young drivers are most at risk of death and serious injury," said Bob Smalley, RoSPA's chief driving examiner. "This competition allows them to have their driving assessed by an expert and learn how they can improve. They will also be testing their ability against others of their age."

Regional heats will be held in August and October at nine Toyota GB venues across the UK. 40 regional winners and runners-up will go through to the final at the Silverstone Circuit on 17 October. There they will undergo a road test, skid training, a manoeuvrability exercise and a Highway Code test. There will be a special section for teenage drivers.

Drivers can pre-register for a regional heat at www.youngdriver.org.
TfL backs streetscape redesign to boost walking and cycling
London mayor Ken Livingstone has endorsed a strategy to redesign the capital’s streets to create better conditions for pedestrians and cyclists and give them greater priority over cars (Local Transport Today, 1 July).

It will mean challenging current thinking on design and safety issues including use of guard railings, central refuges on pedestrian crossings and allocations of road space.

The new approach has been prompted by the publication of a report for TfL by renowned Danish urban designer Jan Gehl, which branded London a city with ‘unusually poor conditions for walking citywide’. It concluded that Livingstone’s aim to make London a ‘superb walking city’ would require ‘drastic change in mindset and policy’.

The study makes the case for an overhaul of streetscape design and calls for ‘culture change from all involved in transport and urban planning to create a better balance between people and traffic’.
TRL unveils SCP risk assessment workshop
TRL has unveiled plans to host a workshop to develop the awareness and competence of school crossing patrol co-ordinators/managers in undertaking risk assessments at SCP sites.

The course will take place on 16 September at Westminster Boating Base, London, and is endorsed by LARSOA, IRSO and AIRSO.

To book or for further information contact Darren Divall, Investigations and Risk Management, TRL Ltd, +44 (0)1344 770280, ddivall@trl.co.uk.
Congestion busting lanes to be trialled
A pilot scheme to cut congestion and improve journey times on motorways by creating dedicated lanes reserved for vehicles carrying two or more people was announced by Alistair Darling, secretary of state for transport, last week.

High occupancy vehicle or carpool lanes, which encourage drivers to share cars, could be created by using the hard shoulder as a running lane - or by widening the road to create an additional lane.

"Carpool lanes help drivers carrying several people by providing dedicated lanes," Alistair Darling said. "These lanes have been used to great effect both in America and Australia and within the UK and could play a key role in reducing congestion on motorways. I hope that drivers will be encouraged to consider car pooling to take advantage of the new lanes. It works elsewhere. There is no reason why it can't work here as well."

More @ http://www.dft.gov.uk