ROAD
SAFETY NEWS - WEEK COMMENCING 10 NOVEMBER
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RoSPA publishes
guide for road safety professionals
RoSPA has published a new guide to help road safety professionals
to work together more effectively.
Strategic Guidance for Road Safety Professionals was developed
by a working group with representatives from RoSPA, LARSOA, the
Association of Chief Police Officers, the Institution of Highways
and Transportation, the Scottish Road Safety Campaign and the
Road Safety Council of Wales.
More @ http://www.rospa.co.uk/CMS.
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Figures
show big increase in PTWs and buses
Estimated traffic volume on Britain's roads rose by 1.5 per cent
between the third quarter of 2002 and the same quarter of 2003.
These figures and analyses by vehicle type and road class, were
published last week in Traffic in Great Britain – 3rd Quarter
2003.
The figures also show that car traffic rose by one per cent over
the period and light van traffic by six per cent. Light vans account
for about two fifths of the growth in traffic and now comprise 12
per cent of total traffic.
There was an increase of 10 per cent in two wheeled motor vehicles
and buses over the period.
More @ www.dft.gov.uk |
Drivers
to be banned from using mobiles
The use of a hand-held mobile phone while driving is to become a
criminal offence as a result of new rules published by the Government
recently (Local Transport Today, 30 October). The rules come into
force on 1 December.
Guidance on this subject, Driving with mobile phones: frequently
asked questions, is available at www.dft.gov.uk. |
Charge
zone casualty data looks encouraging
The London congestion charge has not made the capital’s roads
more dangerous despite encouraging a bigger-than-expected rise in
motorbike and cycle numbers (Surveyor, 30 October).
Local authorities had feared that roads would become more unsafe
by encouraging more motorbikes, which are exempt from the charge.
However, Transport for London’s (TfL) six-month report into
the charge says ‘accidents within the zone are continuing to
fall broadly in line with pre-charging trends. Concerns about a
potential increase in two-wheeled vehicle accidents do not appear
to have been borne out’.
Road safety data for the scheme’s first four months reveals
a 20 per cent decrease in the number of personal injury accidents
within the zone during charging hours compared with the same period
in 2002.
The number of two-wheelers involved in accidents fell by about 15
per cent while there was a 17 per cent drop in the number of pedal
cycles in crashes - despite a 20 per cent hike in motorcycle movements
and 30 per cent rise in pedal cycle movements.
TfL says that while it is too early to draw firm conclusions, ‘early
data is encouraging’. |
Norris
pledges to return London’s streets to motorists
Steve Norris
has pledged to ‘return road space to motorists’ and scrap
the central London congestion charge if he is elected mayor of the
capital in next June’s election (Local Transport Today, 30
October).
The Conservative candidate said that too often roads are ‘narrowed,
blocked or subjected to traffic calming measures that provide no
benefits and result in less road space for general traffic’.
He said he would remove measures where they were not providing clear
benefits ‘to ensure the maximum amount of road space is available
for general traffic’. |
Bus
lane Bill on track
A
Bill giving motorcyclists the right to use bus lanes passed its
first Commons hurdle in late October (Surveyor, 30 October).
Bill Wiggin, Conservative MP for Leominster and party environment
spokesman, has the backing of the British Motorcycling Federation
and 11 other members for the measure, which was introduced under
Parliament’s ‘10-minute rule’.
He argued that the change - ‘successfully tried and tested
in nine places across the country’ - would improve motorcyclists’
safety and promote more sustainable transport. The Bill will be
given a second reading on 21 November. |
MP
attacks drink drive culture
Telford MP David Wright has hit
out at today’s ‘drink drive culture’ in which people
think they are safe to drive after a couple or more alcoholic drinks.
He also called for a reduction in the amount of alcohol that motorists
can legally drink before driving.
"There is a culture in this country where people think they
are fine to drive after drinking between two and three pints. That
is not acceptable," Mr Wright said when speaking at Telford
Training Consultants (TTC 2000) annual conference. He added that
the drink drive limit of 35 microgrammes was ‘sending a wrong
message’ to people that they could drink up to the limit before
driving.
He urged motorists to have ‘none for the road’.
More @ www.ttc-uk.com |
Protesters
win cameras
Fixed speed cameras are to be installed in
a Staffordshire village after residents held a string of road blockage
protests (Surveyor, 30 October).
Around 200 Wetley Rocks residents have been blocking the
A520 every Monday morning for the last few weeks after a number
of fatal accidents.
Staffordshire casualty reduction partnership’s application
for the camera has been approved by the national board and the partnership
set to begin survey work to determine locations. |
Essex
transport groups meet to review progress
Representatives from transport organisations
in Essex are meeting later this month to discuss progress
of the County’s Local Transport Plan. Around 150 stakeholders
- including transport interest groups, businesses and operators,
and District and County councillors - have been invited to attend
the annual progress report seminar in Chelmsford on 28 November.
Essex has a five-year LTP and the meeting will look at the progress
made, including projects and schemes that have been rolled out and
progress in meeting targets and objectives. The County Council is
currently ahead of schedule for 68 per cent of targets outlined
in the LTP. |
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