Latest road safety news in brief:
- Don’t end up on skid row (20 Oct)
- Police operation targets illegal bikers in Newport (20 Oct)
- Government invests £350m to improve local roads (19 Oct)
- MEPs call for new car safety tech to be fitted as standard (17 Oct)
- Glasgow’s low-emission zone to go live by end of 2018 (17 Oct)
Click here to read the road safety news in brief from week commencing 9 October.
FRIDAY 20 OCTOBER
20 Oct: 16.40
Don’t end up on skid row!
That’s the message from Carmarthenshire Council’s Road Safety Unit in a campaign targeting tyre safety on the county’s roads. The campaign coincides with ‘National Tyre Safety Month’ and conveys a simple message that tyres should be checked frequently – and especially before a long journey.
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20 Oct: 16.00
Police operation targets illegal bikers in Newport
Gwent Police officers recently spent two consecutive nights targeting the criminal use of mopeds, motorbikes and other electric bikes across Newport. The operation saw officers within different teams and units come together to tackle the issue. During the action officers conducted patrols in unmarked vehicles in a bid to catch offenders in the act of riding anti-socially and committing crime. In total 10 mopeds and motorbikes were seized along with three high value mountain bikes and electric bikes.
THURSDAY 19 OCTOBER
19 Oct: 11.45
Government invests £350m to improve local roads
A £345.3m funding package to improve local roads and public transport has been announced by transport secretary Chris Grayling.
76 projects from across the country have been awarded funding totalling £244m to bring ‘key benefits’ to local road users – such as improving access to public transport sites, opening up more roads for cyclists and addressing key local traffic ‘pinch points’. An additional £101.3m will pay for two new major roads in Middlewich, Cheshire, and Worcester in the Midlands.
Chris Grayling said: "This government is taking the big decisions for Britain’s future and investing a record £23 billion on our roads to increase capacity and improve journeys. These schemes will provide much needed upgrades to essential local roads up and down the country, cutting congestion, improving safety and shortening journey times for drivers. They will also help boost regional economic growth by unlocking jobs and supporting vital new housing development."
TUESDAY 17 OCTOBER
17 Oct: 15.45
MEPs call for new car safety tech to be fitted as standard
The European Parliament’s Transport Committee has called for new cars to be fitted with a range of technologies including automated emergency braking, intelligent speed assistance and intelligent seatbelt reminders in all seats, as standard.
Responding to a new report by the European Commission, the committee says ‘more effective measures’ are needed in order to reach a goal of no fatalities, and is calling for new legislation to be proposed no later than the first quarter of next year.
Mandatory safety standards for new cars sold on the European market have not been updated since 2009. In the last round of updates automated emergency braking became mandatory for new lorries, and electronic stability control and seat belt reminders in the driver’s seat became a requirement for cars.
Antonio Avenoso, European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), said: “Improving minimum vehicle safety standards is one of the most effective ways of reducing death and serious injury on our roads. Making these proposed technologies mandatory could have as big an impact on safety as the seat belt. But the latest safety upgrades are long overdue. We welcome the strong position taken today by MEPs on this issue and hope it encourages the European Commission to get on with the job of making these proposals become a reality.”
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17 Oct: 14.30
Glasgow’s low-emission zone to go live by end of 2018
The Scottish Government has announced that work is underway on Glasgow’s first low-emission zone (LEZ), which is expected to go live by the end of 2018.
Announced on 10 October, the LEZ is being developed by the Scottish Government in partnership with Glasgow City Council.
Humza Yousaf, Scotland’s transport minister, said: “We can be proud of the progress we’ve made in tackling air pollution, but our biggest cities, like Glasgow, are determined to create the best possible environment for communities to flourish by improving air quality. I’m delighted that Glasgow is working to have their LEZ in place by the end of 2018.
“We have pledged to work with local authorities to introduce low emission zones in Scotland’s four biggest cities by 2020 and this is a positive step towards that vision. This is a decision based on the scientific evidence which demonstrates the link between air pollution and ill health."
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