The London Road Safety Council (LRSC) has unveiled plans to deliver a three-year programme of training to elected members, following a successful funding bid to Transport for London (TfL).
The LRSC, which next year celebrates its centenary, is a unique road safety charity in that its membership includes not only road safety practitioners but elected members from the 33 London authorities.
The training programme, which will be launched at the LRSC’s AGM on 22 July, will see the development of online training for new elected members, an induction leaflet to help them become effective in their role, and a series of monthly best practice sessions that will run throughout the London boroughs.
The first of these will comprise an interactive session, organised by the road safety units in Greenwich and Southwark, showcasing the Red Safety Bus which tours schools giving safety lessons to young people with special educational needs.
In September, Hillingdon will host a session focusing on a pioneering initiative to have CCTV trained on every school entrance to improve road safety, while in October, Lewisham will showcase its new training course for novice moped riders.
James Parker, LRSC executive office, said: “We hold quarterly meetings at which examples of good initiatives are shared, with a view to disseminate best practice London-wide.
“Many of the elected members appointed to the LRSC have a keenness to learn more about road safety and this can only benefit the wider London road safety campaign, since better informed, more knowledgeable and skilled councillors will in turn become more effective road safety champions in their boroughs.”
Councillor Wendy Brice Thompson, chair of the council, said: “I am delighted that TfL recognises the role that the LRSC has to play in developing elected members in this way; our hope is that in time this will result in an enhanced road safety service throughout London.”
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