Two individuals and two organisations have been named as the inaugural winners of the Road Safety GB Awards, recognising their significant contribution to saving lives on the road.
The new Road Safety GB Awards, which replace the Lynda Chalker Award which was first presented in 1986, are presented in two categories:
- The Road Safety GB Achievement Award
- The Road Safety GB Corporate Award
The inaugural Road Safety GB Awards were presented at the National Road Safety Conference in Harrogate on 9 November.
Achievement Awards were presented to David Davies, executive director of PACTS and Lyn Hesse, senior road safety officer with Cambridgeshire County Council.
Two accolades were also handed out in the Corporate Award category, to Agilysis and Westcotec.
Presenting the awards, Philippa Young, chair of Road Safety GB, said: “It is a great privilege to have been asked to present these first RSGB awards on behalf of the board and members.
“The awards, which replace the previous Lynda Chalker awards, recognise individuals who have contributed significantly to road safety in the United Kingdom over a substantial period of time and corporate members who, through their work, demonstrate a commitment and contribution to road safety.”
About the winners
David Davies, executive director, PACTS
David Davies has a background in sustainable transport, road safety, public sector scrutiny, planning and research. He has worked in local government and transport consultancies, including five years at the Transport Research Laboratory.
He has been the executive director of PACTS since January 2013 and has emphasised its thought-leadership role.
David is a member of various DfT advisory committees including the Motorists Forum and Road Safety Delivery Group. He manages the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Transport Safety and advises MPs and Peers of all parties. He plays the role of critical friend to civil servants and ministers.
Lyn Hesse, senior RSO, Cambridgeshire CC
For more than 20 years, Lyn Hesse has dedicated her life to promoting road safety, through her full-time role as senior road safety officer for Cambridgeshire County Council.
Lyn currently leads a local authority team that provides road safety education, training and publicity across all age ranges. Under Lyn’s management, the team has received numerous national awards for its work.
One example is the Cambs Drive iQ young driver initiative, which won the ‘Best Education and Training Initiative’ category and was highly commended in the ‘Best Partnership Scheme’ category in the 2018 FirstCar Young Driver Road Safety Awards.
Additionally, Lyn has volunteered with the Road Victims Trust charity for many years and has been chair of its trustees for the last nine years.
Agilysis
Blending expertise in research, policy and practice, Agilysis is contributing to pioneering international research as well as providing consultancy and intervention design, based on evidence from a range of disciplines in transport and health domains.
The Agilysis team includes data scientists, geo-spatial analysts, social researchers, web developers and intervention designers who are delivering projects for UK clients such as the DfT, National Highways, TfL and Transport Scotland, as well as national and regional road authorities overseas.
Westcotec
Since 2001, Westcotec has been at the forefront of the vehicle activated sign industry. Based in the heart of Norfolk, it has grown to become one of the biggest suppliers of quality vehicle-activated signs in the UK. Westcotec’s declared aim is to bring the technology of the future to today’s roads.
Congratulations to all the award winners, but especially to Cambridgeshire’s very own Lyn Hesse’s individual ‘Achievement Award – well deserved everyone!
Ann Marie Bailey, Cambridgeshire
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