County gears up for road safety week

Denbighshire County Council is lending its support a national campaign aimed at improving safety on our roads.

‘Speed Down Saves Lives’ is the theme for this year’s Road Safety Week campaign, which begins on Monday, November 20.

The council’s Sustainable Transport and Road Safety team work throughout the year trying to create the conditions for safe active travel in the county.

This means that as many people as possible should be encouraged to travel on foot or by bicycle instead of travelling by car. Children in particular need to be able to make this switch in safety.  

Encouraging drivers to drive slowly around their towns for the benefit of young cyclists and pedestrians is one of the key message of this year’s campaign.

During the week:

• The council’s year round programme of national standards Bikeability cycle training for Year 6 pupils will continue with courses running at  Ysgol Esgob Morgan (St Asaph) and Ysgol  Twm o’r Nant (Denbigh).
• Child pedestrian roadside  Kerbcraft training will continue with primary pupils from Rhos Street School, Ruthin and will include a Police speedgun survey of passing traffic on Rhos Street .
• The road safety team will be meeting with Sustrans to kick-start joint working on a brand new safe active travel initiative which will be rolled-out to primary schools and Year 7 high school pupils in early 2018.
• Road safety banners with the message “Arafwch yn ein tref/ Slow down in our town"    will be placed at a suitable location in each town in the county .

Councillor Brian Jones, Cabinet Lead Member for Environment, said: “This nationally designated week is a great opportunity to drive home the road safety messages, to encourage drivers to reduce their speed and be more vigilant in built up areas where pedestrians and other roads users will be present.

"The council runs activities throughout the year and will be out and about during Road Safety Week to reinforce the messages and to encourage people to change behaviour, so that our roads become safer.”

* For further details about Road Safety Week, please visit: www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk