 
|
ROAD
SAFETY NEWS - WEEK COMMENCING 29 MARCH 2004
|
Welsh Assembly
pushes 20mph zones
Welsh local authorities have been urged to introduce more 20mph
zones after a National Assembly review found them to be the most
successful casualty-reduction measure (Surveyor, 25 March).
The National Assembly in Cardiff has seized on the findings of
a review of all local road safety grant-funded projects, and urged
local authorities to make 20mph the norm on residential streets.
The review found that among the 71 schemes evaluated – all
of which had been in place for at least one year – the reduction
in casualties was 66 per cent.
"These figures are very, very encouraging," said deputy
transport minister Brian Gibbons. "There is
a case for saying that all residential areas should be 20mph zones,
although link roads might be excluded."
The report stresses that not too many conclusions can be drawn,
given that most sites only had one or two casualties per annum
before schemes were introduced - but it nevertheless recommends
that more 20mph zones should be introduced.
|
DfT
publishes 2003 vehicle data
The DfT last week published national statistics of licensed vehicles
in Great Britain in 2003.
The number of motor vehicles licensed at the end of 2003 was 2.1
per cent higher than at the end of 2002. The largest increase of
6.8 per cent was in the motor cycles class. This took the number
of motor bikes licensed to over a million for the first time since
1986. Despite an increase in cars of 1.8 per cent, the number of
company cars continued to decline - by 4.7 per cent - to the lowest
level since 1994.
There are some significant regional differences. The largest increases
are in Wales (3.4 per cent) and the north east (3.1 per cent). The
smallest increases are in Greater London (0.4 per cent) and the
east of England (0.9 per cent).
More @ http://www.dft.gov.uk/pns |
Four
shortlisted for transport award
Derbyshire, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire and Reading have been shortlisted
for the transport local authority of the year award in this year’s
National Transport Awards (Local Transport Today, 25 March).
The shortlist was drawn up at a meeting of the judging panel earlier
this month. The judges will now visit each of the four authorities
with the winner being announced at the awards dinner on 8 July.
The shortlist for the road safety award category comprises the London
Borough of Bromley, Hull and Lancashire.
The judging panel is chaired by David Begg, director
of the Centre for Transport Policy (the awards organiser) and chair
of the Commission for Integrated Transport. |
Car-lock
device for drink drivers under consideration
Motorists who have been convicted for drink driving could have to
give a breath test every time they want to start their vehicle under
an idea being studied by the DfT (Local Transport Today, 25 March).
The ‘alco lock’ device would only be disabled if the motorist
passed the breath test.
Transport minister David Jamieson outlined the concept
earlier this month, explaining that the idea was already used in
Canada. "If we think that this has a road safety benefit for
those people who do have a problem and need re-educating, then we
will introduce it," he said. |
Part-time
20mph limits for Glasgow schools
Glasgow
City Council has chosen the first 24 schools where part-time 20mph
speed limits will be introduced in an effort to reduce child road
accident casualties (Local Transport Today, 25 March). The council
plans to install part time limits outside every school in the city
by March 2006. |
Minister
invited to ‘rule-breaking’ site
Transport
minister Tony McNulty has been invited to visit the
redesigned Kensington High Street - despite being warned by civil
servants not to associate himself with the scheme because it breaches
Government design guidance (Surveyor, 25 March). The scheme dispenses
with guardrails in favour of unguarded staggered crossings.
According to the Royal London Borough of Kensington & Chelsea,
the decision to omit guardrails - which was not challenged by the
DfT - was taken ‘because road users are sick to death with
being penned in like sheep wherever they go’.
In the £4.7m scheme, the council decided to dispense with
guardrails, opting instead for an evidence-based approach. When
the first experimental staggered crossing was installed it was CCTV
monitored to check that it was safe in use before further crossings
were added.
The Borough claims that the innovation has particularly improved
safety for wheelchair users who now have a clear view of oncoming
traffic.
The DfT is currently preparing a new streetscape guide. |
DfT
issues road safety fund criteria
The DfT has published the criteria it uses
to assess bids to its road safety grant challenge fund (Local Transport
Today, 25 March). The £200,000 annual fund is for projects
proposed by organisations other than local authorities.
Individual grants are expected to be for sums up to £20,000.
Road safety grant challenge fund criteria is available at www.landor.co.uk/Itt/reports |
Car
clubs not the answer, says TfL
Transport for London has ended financial support
to the London City Car Club (LCCC), citing resource constraints
and DfT research that shows the most effective ‘soft’
measures to reduce car use are work and school travel plans and
awareness campaigns (Local Transport Today, 25 March).
Chas Ball, joint managing director of Smart Moves,
the company operating London’s car club, insisted the club
would survive despite funding from TfL ending this month –
two years earlier than he had expected. |
|
| |
| |
| |
|
