The three Welsh Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) have published a joint ‘Road Safety Strategy‘ to provide a framework to “communicate and implement their road safety commitments on a national and local level”.
The strategy places significant emphasis on collaboration and partnership working, and talks about the FRS playing a part in preventing road traffic collisions as well as dealing with the aftermath.
The strategy’s executive summary includes the following: “This Road Safety Strategy for 2015–2020 details how the three FRSs in Wales will work in partnership with other road safety organisations, professionals and advocates in order to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) on the roads of Wales.
“The strategy sets out how the FRS will support the recommendations of the Welsh Government’s Road Safety Framework for Wales and the challenging KSI reduction targets by 2020, whilst establishing the priorities and actions required to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on Welsh roads, with a clear focus on collaborative working with other road safety stakeholders.
“The reduction of deaths and serious injuries on our roads is a high priority but it is not achievable by the FRS working in isolation.
“We recognise the importance of educating road users on the consequences of RTCs and understand the importance of working collaboratively with other road safety organisations in Wales to target the most vulnerable road users and deliver key road safety messages.”
Chris Davies, chief fire officer for Mid and West Wales FRS, said: "While the number of incidents has declined, statistics show a 12% increase in the number of people seriously injured on our roads in the last year, with poor driving and observation the leading cause of collisions.
“Clearly, while much has been achieved through collaborative working with our road safety partners, more needs to be done.
“A coordinated effort in the education of road users, targeting specifically those identified most vulnerable groups, with a range of activities, interventions and publicity that result in behavioural change forms the core of today’s road safety strategy.”
Station manager Simon Brown, road safety manager for South Wales FRS, said: "The All Wales Road Safety Strategy (2015 – 2020) encourages the Fire and Rescue Services’ of Wales and their partners to work together to identify local risks within their areas and develop a targeted approach to reducing deaths and injuries on Welsh roads.”
Stuart Millington, senior fire safety manager for North Wales FRS, said: "As part of this strategy we are looking at a variety of approaches that organisations can take to improve road safety including training, education, publicity, sharing information and evaluation. By combining all these we hope that we will be able to improve road safety across Wales."
I like the statement in the FRS document that says “To continue delivering road safety casualty reductions we need to use new approaches”.
Duncan MacKillop. No surprise – No accident.
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As it happens, I didn’t ‘agree’ or ‘disagree’ with your comment Bob, but I share your bewilderment at what people ‘disagree’ with on this forum sometimes. I understand disagreeing with a view or opinion, but sometimes a seemingly uncontroversial, innocuous comment or statement of fact seems to invite ‘disagree’ regardless. If I said I had two Weetabix this morning, no doubt some would mischievously disagree.
Hugh Jones, Cheshire
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The response that I got to my last statement leaves me somewhat bewildered. I had so far 4 likes and 5 dislikes, or agrees or not. I wondered what those persons who disagreed had problems with. Was it
1. My liking the involvement of the Fire Brigade.
Or 2. Suggesting that the insurance companies put some money into road safety.
I see both of these as positives so I cannot understand why some would disagree. Maybe we can have some reply to this? Those that disagree and to provide counter balance those that do.
Bob Craven… Space is Safe Campaigner
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It good to see this collaboration taking place now. It is sorely needed with financial restraints possibly reducing LAs involvement in road safety. They will also bring into the frame their knowledge and expertise, manpower and commitment.
Once again I believe that this is the way to go. What we need now is finance and I believe that as with health the powerful and financially sound insurance companies should come forward and support more. Let’s face it they support sport etc. and by supporting road safety they will gain by paying out less. It’s a win win situation for them and at a cost of peanuts. Come on insurance, put some money in the kitty. It will benefit you.
Bob Craven Lancs…Space is Safe Campaigner
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