A CAMPAIGN to educate drivers and riders to make Warwickshire’s roads safer is underway.
Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership will be joining forces with its partners to deliver engagement events throughout the county as part of a month-long campaign, in support of Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel and the National Police Chief Council’s (NPCC) Two Wheel Campaign.
Warwickshire County Council (WCC), Warwickshire Police, and Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service (WFRS) will deliver free sessions throughout March and April to teach cyclists, drivers and riders about the importance of having the correct skills, knowledge and equipment to ride safely.
WCC’s Road Safety Education Team, along with their mascot Warwick Bear, will be touring libraries across the county to deliver interactive road safety education sessions to families and young children to help them walk, cycle and scoot safely.
The Road Safety Education Team is also offering all Warwickshire primary schools a free digital assembly focusing on cycle safety, including route planning and bike safety checks.
Warwickshire Police will be engaging with people at the county’s country parks, providing information, advice and signposting. The force will also be running Operation Close Pass, an initiative to encourage drivers to give cyclists more room on the road, and sharing advice with vulnerable road users to help them ride safely, legally and responsibly.
Bike security markings and hi-visibility items will be available to members of the public at selected events.
Coun Wallace Redford, WCC’s transport spokesman, said: “It is essential that we all take each and every step we can to keep our skills and knowledge up to date.
“Educating children about road safety must begin as early as possible, and the interactive sessions taking place in libraries across Warwickshire will help to enable and encourage the younger generation to live happier and healthier lives.”
Chair of the Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership Philip Seccombe said: “The Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel campaign and National Police Chief Council Two Wheel campaign are great opportunities to show how partnership working and communication can make a real difference to improving road safety in Warwickshire.
“It is a really exciting time for road safety in Warwickshire as we adopt a ‘safe systems’ approach. This means Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership will be looking at all aspects of road safety including road and vehicle design, speed, post collision care and road user behaviour to reduce death and serious injury on our roads.
“Our aim is to achieve the challenging target of a 50 per cent reduction in death and injury on our roads by 2030. We will need your help to achieve this.”
Contact [email protected] or follow Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership on social media for more information.
