The new Champions Network is chaired by Jeremy Phillips, Road Safety GB
Road Safety GB has launched a ‘Champions Network’ of data analysts, as part of its commitment to sharing best practice and improving resources for the profession.
The Champions Network, which convened for the first time in London on 9 July, is part of an ongoing Road Safety GB initiative – designed to support road safety data analysts – managed by Agilysis and delivered with support from the DfT.
The network was created following a capacity review of this specialist area and from previous work by Road Safety GB in promoting information, knowledge and skills sharing in this discipline.
The principle behind the network is to identify regional ‘champions’ who will attend bi-annual national strategy meetings, and help coordinate regional meetings for road safety professionals from different sectors – with a focus on road safety evidence and analysis.
In addition to the regional representatives, members from Highways England, the DfT, and third sector organisations will ensure that the group has a broad membership capable of tackling strategic issues in the fields of road safety data, analytics and research.
The initial actions for the Champions Network are:
- Planning and arranging the next ‘Joining the Dots’ road safety analysts’ conference in early spring 2020 – including finding a venue and setting a date which will be announced via the Road Safety GB website in August.
- Organising a series of regional meetings for road safety professionals during the autumn, to understand the successes and challenges faced by local authorities, police forces and fire and rescue services in understanding and addressing road risk through the data available.
- Overseeing the launch of a discussion forum for professional development, debate and information sharing between analysts.
Jeremy Phillips, director of research at Road Safety GB and chair of the Champions Network, said: “This is an exciting time in road safety data analytics.
“Three national conferences have demonstrated an appetite among analysts for professional development opportunities and new approaches.
“Data clients are becoming increasingly interested in how good analytics can support strategic thinking and resource deployment and there is significant national investment in improving key data sets like Stats19.
“I look forward to this outstanding group of individuals helping the profession make real progress in a niche area of work which has a fundamental role in supporting all road safety activity.”
FOOTNOTE
The Champions Network membership currently comprises:
Jeremy Phillips – RSGB Director of Research (Chair); Richard Owen – Agilysis Ltd; Katherine Williamson – Department for Transport; Joe Stordy – Transport for London [London]; Marie Woltman – Devon [South West]; Ivo Wengraf – RAC Foundation; Brian Lawton – Road Safety Foundation; Linzi Pidgeon – Transport Scotland [Scotland]; Sian Gilford – North Wales Police [Wales]; Peter Slater – Gateshead Council [North East]; Nick Hughes – Lancashire County Council [North West]; Will Cubbin – Essex [East]; Brent Sharp – South Yorkshire [Yorkshire and Humberside]; Wendy Clennett – Kent FRS [South East]; Simon Mills – Northamptonshire [Midlands]; Nurettin Cirakli – Highways England & Lyndsey Owen – Agilysis Ltd (Champions Network Manager)
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