“For the past 20 years, we have put bikers at the forefront of everything we do.”
That’s the message from the Shiny Side Up Partnership (SSUP) at the start of its 20th anniversary celebrations.
Founded in 2002, the SSUP is a dedicated team which works together to reduce the number of fatal and serious casualties suffered by bikers across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.
In 2002, Nottinghamshire Police reported 508 motorcycle casualties, of which 176 were killed or seriously injured. These staggering numbers were clearly unacceptable, and the SSUP was born out of an urgent need to reduce collisions involving bikers.
Today, the SSUP’s membership comprises the following partners: Derbyshire County Council, National Highways, Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Nottinghamshire Police and VIA East Midlands.
Together, these partners tackle existing and emerging trends in motorcycle road traffic collisions.
Over the years, the SSUP has designed, produced and distributed more than a million ‘Think Bike’ stickers and achieved brand recognition with its eye-catching bright yellow posters – displayed at locations where motorcyclists have previously been killed or seriously injured.
In addition to this, it has produced television and radio adverts, attended BSB events at Donnington Park and Cadwell Park and provided free high vis resources to those wishing to wear them (including NHS workers travelling to work on motorcycles during the pandemic).
There has also been support for Blood Bikes, Wheels 2 Work, Biker Down, Bike Safe, ERS and CBT/CBT plus training courses.
But it’s not all about the past. To mark this 20th celebration, the SSUP has added two new films to its Know the Dangers campaign, which highlights the most common causes of collisions involving motorcyclists.
The campaign first launched in March 2021, comprising seven short films – and one longer film – covering issues including overtaking and filtering.
The films were shared on social media and across two runnings of the campaign, received close to 600,000 views.
Heidi Duffy MBE, SSUP facilitator, said: “For 20 years we have put bikers at the forefront of everything we do.
“We have seen changing patterns of crashes from mainly sport bike riders, to commuter riders and now the GIG economy.
“As a result, we have adapted our ‘Think Bike’ message to encourage drivers on four wheels to protect those riding on two – while asking our riders to ‘filter with care’.
“The SSUP would like to thank Via East Midlands for their continued support of the partnership – providing financial, administration and senior management help without which, we would not be able to continue.”
Its all very well back slapping but if stats show no real change over the last 10 years at least then its all been for nothing. Nothing is going to change unless we recognise the need for change in training. Of bends and overtakes and inappropriate speeds on our country roads and the need to give more instruction after CBT to newbies so that they can earn a decent living ferrying food and other essential around our towns and not just becoming the next fatality at a smidsy or similar.
We urgently need to look at training and not advanced training but training for 20 or so hour over a period of say 6 months to 12 months to learn new skills and experiences and to develop a better more positive state of mind to become safer riders and changing their mind sets and perceptions.
Some 2/3rds., the vast majority of injuries and collisions are suffered around urban areas, around towns where after CBT the newbie received absolutely no training at all and continues to be a danger to himself and all other road users as they get into a poor attitude about road safety. and a negative safety mindset.
Bob Craven, Lancs
+1
It’s not easy to achieve a strong co-ordinated partnership, it takes an enthusiastic and dedicated group of people. When you get it right partnership working achieves so much more than working in isolation. Congratulations to the Shiny Side Up Partnership on reaching 20 years!
jamesgibson@roadsafetygb.org.uk, RSGB
+5