Welcome to Road Safety Wales
18/12/09
Road safety champions in Swansea have been given a special Christmas thank you by Swansea Council. The volunteers on the Assembly-funded Kerbcraft road safety initiative are being treated to Christmas lunch as a reward for their hard work and dedication during the year.
The Council's Road Safety Team coordinates the scheme and relies on volunteers to go into primary schools and help children between the ages of five and seven learn all about road safety.
Kingsley McCarthy from Manselton has been helping out by teaching road safety in three primary schools for the last six years.
Kingsley, 73, said: "Kerbcraft is such a vital and worthwhile scheme. This is one of the ways in which we can help reduce the number of accidents on our roads involving children.
"My grandson James volunteered my services a few years ago and I've never looked back.
"We have a really fun time with the children and they all seem to enjoy themselves. We even have a special road safety song which we get the children to sing at the end of the lesson.
"I really hope more people will put themselves forward as volunteers because we need to keep the scheme running."
John Hague, Cabinet Member for the Environment in Swansea Council, said: "I personally want to thank the volunteers for their assistance because it's helped us to deliver road safety education to children throughout Swansea. Without their efforts, we would not be able to run the scheme.
"We're committed to creating safe environments in communities and especially near schools. Kerbcraft training complements these physical measures and ensures our children are safe on the roads."
To volunteer for Kerbcraft and help children be safe on our roads contact Carys Price or Lindsey Hill on 01792 636142.
14/12/09
Glyncorrwg Primary School in the Afan Valley has picked up a trophy in a competition for the highest number of pupils who walked to school during International Walk to School Month in October. They reached a massive 83%.
They were closely followed by last year's winners, Coed Hirwaun Primary in Margam who reached a very respectable 82%.
The road safety team at Neath Port Talbot Council ran the annual competition and over 2000 pupils joined in the campaign to encourage as many pupils as possible to walk to school and try to scoop the top prize.
Every day the numbers walking were recorded and converted to a percentage of the numbers on roll, with the winning school receiving a trophy for their school.
At a ceremony winners and runners up were presented with their awards.
Praising the efforts of pupils, Council Leader, Ali Thomas, said, "I am delighted with the support shown by schools across the county borough.An immense amount of pupils took part in such a worthwhile event.I would like to congratulate everyone who joined in the campaign for making such a fantastic effort."
23/11/09
The clue is in the title really, crucial information for children given by a crew of safety experts. Crucial Crew offers Year 7 children in Monmouthshire a personal safety experience and highlights the consequences of risks they may take.
The Road Safety work station examines and investigates the use of high visibility materials which can play a big part in reducing the risks facing children as daylight hours get shorter.
RoSPA says,
“One of the consequences of the UK’s system is that more people are killed and injured on the road because of darker evenings in the autumn and winter than would be if we adopted Single/Double British Summertime (SDST)…
…In 2008, UK pedestrian deaths rose from 38 in September, to 55 in October, 62 in November and 56 in December. Child road deaths rose from 7 in September to 18 in October, 12 in November and 9 in December.”
Nearly 800 children took part in workshops in scientifically controlled conditions (cardboard on the windows (!?) and an ultra violet light).
Children gasped as they were enlightened about how different materials react under different light conditions.
22/10/09
The heightened danger faced by pedestrians when the clocks go back must be taken more seriously, says the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.
With the clocks changing on Sunday (October 25), RoSPA is urging pedestrians, as well as cyclists, to ensure they can be seen by motorists and for motorists to keep an even greater look out for them.
The safety charity is also continuing to press for the introduction of a system that would give an extra hour of daylight in the evening all year round.
RoSPA has been calling for many years for the UK to move to a system called “Single Double Summer Time” (SDST), which would put the clocks one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) in winter and two hours ahead of GMT in summer. This year, the campaign received a boost from two publications.
In April, the Department for Transport launched a consultation on its new road safety strategy. The consultation document acknowledged research which found that a move to SDST could reduce road deaths by around 80 per year and serious injuries by around 212 per year. It also stated that while moving to SDST would involve a one-off cost of £5million to publicise the change, it would then result in benefits of £138.36million a year due to the reduction in road casualties, and would also lead to energy savings, business benefits and more opportunities for sport and leisure. It said the cost-benefit case in road safety terms was “clear”, but that the issue went beyond the scope of the strategy consultation due to the other implications requiring consideration.
In May, the National Audit Office published a report called “Improving Road Safety for Pedestrians and Cyclists in Great Britain”. In a section looking at seasonal road casualty patterns from 2000-2007, the report stated that there were 10 per cent more collisions killing or injuring a pedestrian in the four weeks following the clocks going back than in the four weeks before the clocks changed.
A total of 572 pedestrians were killed on Britain’s roads last year. Pedestrian deaths rose from 55 in October to 62 in November – the month in which the most pedestrian fatalities were recorded. In March 2008, 61 pedestrians were killed, but in April – after the clocks had moved forward an hour – the figure dropped to 34.
Tom Mullarkey, RoSPA chief executive, said: “We need to keep the momentum behind this long-running campaign. In view of the reports published this year, plus the casualty data from 2008, we will continue to call for a change which, we believe, would save lives and reduce injuries.
“Casualty data shows that more pedestrians are killed and injured in the afternoon and early evening than in the morning. Therefore, by moving to SDST, vulnerable road users like children walking home from school would have an extra hour of daylight in which to make their journeys.
“It is time for the issue to come off the shelf and for the full implications to be considered. A three-year trial could answer many of the questions.”
He added: “In the meantime, we urge road users to remember the responsibility they have for the safety of those around them. Pedestrians and cyclists who, from Monday, may be travelling home from work or school in the dark should ensure they can be seen, and motorists need to watch their speed and keep an extra look out for vulnerable road users.”
9/10/09
Pupils at a primary school in Llanbradach have been rewarded for taking part in a successful road safety scheme that gives children lifesaving lessons at the kerbside.
Primary and infant schools across the Caerphilly county borough are taking part in the 'Kerbcraft' initiative which involves specially trained staff taking pupils onto the streets for practical road safety lessons.
Coed y Brain Primary School in Llanbradach recently completed the scheme and all the children and volunteers attended a special event this week to receive their certificates and gifts.
Cllr Rob Gough, CCBC cabinet member for transportation and planning, said, "Kerbcraft is proving to be a great success and we would like to thank everyone involved, especially the volunteers and schools. The scheme teaches children how to be safe pedestrians by providing them with practical roadside training and to develop good behaviour patterns that will hopefully keep them safe."
The scheme is currently funded by the Welsh Assembly Government who realised the importance of the scheme and have set a target of reducing child pedestrian casualties by 50% by the year 2010.
Tracy Plant and Jessica Dix are the council's Child Pedestrian Training Co-ordinators for CCBC who manage the Kerbcraft project. They have five assistants, Adele Phelps, Andrea Williams, Jeanette Aldridge, Vicky Knight and Judith Gould.
To help the project continue in each school the council needs to recruit volunteers (eg parents and grandparents). If you feel that you would like to help save children's lives then please do not hesitate to contact Jessica or Tracy on 01495 235078/235427 for more information.
29/6/09
A number of roads in Swansea communities will be made safer after Swansea Council's Cabinet agreed to invest thousands of pounds installing pelican crossings at key sites.
Busy roads in Gowerton, Glais and Dunvant will all get the road safety treatment following the decision to fund three crossing points using Road Safety Grant funding.The Council has received a total of £646,000 from the Assembly in the annual Road Safety Grant settlement and Cabinet has agreed on how the cash will be spent.
About £68,000 will be spent installing the pelican crossings near Dunvant Primary School, Glais Primary and Tregwyr Infants and will help increase the safety of walking routes to and from the schools.
Annual events including Crucial Crew and child car seat testing road shows will also get further funding to allow them to continue. Funding will also be used to address accident cluster sites.
John Hague, Cabinet Member for the Environment, said: "This funding is crucial to enable our Road Safety Team to carry on their good work in local schools.
"I'm also really pleased that we have been able to fund some schemes that did not receive any money in the recent transport grant settlement.
"It's always difficult to get everything done that we want to do when there are limited funds. However, this latest grant settlement will give us the opportunity to create safer environments in even more communities."
17/6/09
Walk to School Week was very successful in Monmouthshire this year and as a thank you the Chairman, Cllr Mrs Jane Foulser, invited participating schools to a special luncheon at County Hall on Wednesday 10th June.
Fourteen pupils from six Monmouthshire primary schools attended the event in the Chairman’s Chamber which was decorated with balloons and posters for the occasion. They were delighted by a special visit from Iolo the Road Safety Zebra who helped the Chairman and her consort, Mr William Foulser, present certificates and rucksacks full of road safety goodies to the children.
Later, the pupils took part in road safety activities including using ‘beer goggles’ to negotiate tasks like putting coins into containers with varying sized holes, tackling an obstacle course of cones and filling in colouring sheets. The goggles give the wearer the view that a drunken driver would have and consequently the simple tasks became difficult. Although great fun for all concerned there was a serious message that it would be much more difficult to drive a car in these circumstances, and that’s why it is so important not to drink and drive.
The Chairperson of Monmouthshire Jane Foulser said,
“The purpose of the Safer Routes to School Initiative and events like Walk to School Week is to raise awareness and encourage more children and parents to walk to school to reduce the number of cars at our school gates, resulting in a safer environment and increase the health benefits for all”
Tom Williams from Usk Primary said,
“I have learnt never to get drunk while driving a car. It is really good to cycle and walk to school to cut down on pollution. I feel good to be here today”
Alicia Champion from Pembroke Primary said,
“I feel excited to get certificates and photos for walk to school week. Doing the games is fun and seeing everyone in their uniform looking smart is good too”
Linda Davies, head teacher of Thornwell School said,
“Walk to School Week gives us an opportunity to focus on road safety issues in school. It raises awareness to parents and the community. I think we can become too complacent on these issues. Children enjoy the event and therefore remember the important messages”
A big thank you goes to Abbie Davies, Monmouthshire’s Travel Plan Coordinator, for organizing the event and also the Capita Symonds Road Safety Team for their support.
A great day was had by all it was all about learning important messages through fun and play.
Let’s hope we will have the same success with Walk to School Week next year!
11/6/09
Pupils across the Caerphilly county borough agreed to ditch the car and bus during Walk to School Week and opted for two legged transport instead as they took part in ‘Walk to School Week’ activities.
More than 8,000 children from 24 local schools participated in the event, which has become a popular fixture in the annual road safety calendar. Schools reported less congestion outside the school gate and the organised activities such as ‘walking buses’ were very well attended despite the wind and rain!
CCBC Cabinet member, Cllr Phil Bevan, said, “Walk to school week was once again a major success throughout the Caerphilly county borough and I would like to thank everyone involved for their efforts. These types of activities have many benefits including improving health and fitness levels amongst children as well as having a positive impact on the environment by reducing traffic congestion on the school run.”
Schools with Travel Plans were also given resources to help make the week a success such as pedometers to record how far the children walked.
Pengam Primary organised a sponsored walk with teachers, parents and children and Hendredenny Park Primary got its pupils walking everyday on the walking bus.
Two other schools that deserve a mention are Blackwood Primary with over 50 walkers on their bus and Ysgol Trelyn who managed to again have the biggest walking bus with 60 adults, children and parents.
For more information about Walk to School activities in Caerphilly please contact Susan Davies, School Travel Plan Co-ordinator on 01495 235402.
11/5/09
Over 100 pupils and parents from Forden walked and cycled on the new shared path on the day of its official opening.
The £190,000 path, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government’s Safer Routes in Communities Fund, was opened on 29 April. 40 children biked and another 35 were joined by parents to walk the path.
Built by Powys County Council within the highway boundary, the two kilometre path improves a section of the Offa’s Dyke National Trail.
The new path, which has been a long term aspiration of the community and was a key aspect of the Focus on Forden’s Future event that took place last year, has created better links between all parts of Forden and will enable residents, particularly children, to walk and cycle safely.
Cllr Gwilym Evans, Board Member for Cycling and Road Safety, said: “This route has been needed by the community for a long time. It’s a great facility providing local people with the opportunity to walk and cycle and stay active. Progress on cycle routes across the county is very promising with many new routes being constructed.”
Mr Simon Newson, Headteacher of Forden Church in Wales School, said: “This new path will allow children and adults to walk or cycle from one end of the village to the other safely. Not only will it allow pupils to walk to school, which will help them keep fit and active, it will also help create a greener environment around the school with less traffic.”
27/4/09
Pupils from Caersws Primary School are putting their best foot forward and starting a new 'walking bus'. From this week, local children will be walking to and from Caersws School on 'Walking Wednesdays'. Supervised by volunteer adults, the pupils will walk a designated route and pick-up other children up at 'bus stops' timetabled along the way.
The initiative has been introduced by Delma Thomas and Roy Gardner from Caersws Primary School, and Bridget Farrington, Area Road Safety Officer with Powys County Council.
"Walking Buses are an excellent way to improve road safety awareness, reduce school gate congestion and help the environment in addition to improving health and fitness," explained Bridget.
"Children who walk to school are known to concentrate better in lessons and they enjoy the social interaction of walking with their friends.
"Caersws is an ideal village to make use of a walking bus and I congratulate Miss Thomas and the staff and parent volunteers for starting this project."
17/3/09
Flintshire County Council is hosting Feet First, an energetic new road safety play for infants. It focuses on school travel issues and the perceptions of walking, health, pollution and looking after the environment as well as getting parents and grandparents to understand this too.
The school run accounts for a sizeable chunk of rush hour traffic, causing congestion, pollution and danger outside most schools. The play carries the message that if more families were able to walk occasionally, then communities would experience the environmental and health benefits associated with fewer vehicles on the roads in their neighbourhood.
Feet First has been arranged by Flintshire County Council‘s Road Safety Unit and will be performed twice a day to Key Stage One pupils (five to seven years) throughout Flintshire primary schools between 16th and 20th March.
Councillor Tony Sharps, Flintshire County Council’s executive member for Environment, said: “I am very pleased that Feet First is coming to Flintshire - I would support any initiative which encourages parents to think about the health benefits associated with walking their children to school and the safety benefits of less cars around the school gate at the beginning and end of each school day.”
4/3/09
The Welsh Assembly Government aims to encourage more people to walk and cycle more safely and more often. This Action Plan explains how the Welsh Assembly Government and their partners are supporting walking and cycling in Wales.
Key objectives are to:
- Improve the health and well being of Wales through increased physical activity;
- Improve the local environment for walkers and cyclists;
- Encourage sustainable travel to combat climate change;
- Increase levels of walking and cycling through promotion of facilities; and
- Ensure that walking and cycling are prioritised in policies, guidance and funding.
The Welsh Assembly Government currently supports a number of initiatives and organisations. These include:
- Safe Routes to Communities: Support for local authorities to develop safe walking and cycling routes and to improve accessibility;
- Trunk road improvement and a transport grant scheme that provides new walking and cycling infrastructure;
- Funding for Sustrans Cymru, the sustainable transport charity;
Visit: Sustrans website
- National Standards in Cycling Training: Introduction of National Standards by increasing the number of qualified instructors in Wales with the Cyclists Touring Club (CTC) Charitable Trust;
Visit: CTC website
- Lets Walk Cymru: This is a Wales-wide scheme developed with the Sports Council for Wales and Countryside Council for Wales. It is tasked with increasing the number of people participating in walking as a regular activity; and
Visit: Lets Walk Cymru
- Bike It - a Sustrans Cymru pilot scheme that aims to increase cycling to school by: raising awareness of its benefits; teaching cycle skills; and running bike to school events and rides.
Visit: Bike It
Useful links to other organisations
Visit: The Ramblers Association website
Document Download PDF format 1.86kb 
A Walking and Cycling Action Plan for Wales 2009 - 2013
6/2/09
During the Autumn and Winter months Road Traffic Accidents involving children and young people increase. This is due to the fact that we turn the clocks back, and it gets darker sooner. To coincide with this a Be Safe Be Seen, Road Safety Competition was held on the www.carysofalus.net web site.
The children had fun competing. The younger children had a picture to colour, making sure that Carys Ofalus, Cari and Rhun were wearing bright and fluorescent clothes.
The Junior School children had to solve a wordsearch, with all the words associated with Being Safe Be Seen. Many thanks to everybody for taking part. To coincide with the competition, every school child in Gwynedd received a Fluorescent wrist strap.
The winners in each category gathered at Y Ganolfan Porthmadog to receive their prizes from Councillor Stephen Churchman (Dolbenmaen Ward). Carys Ofalus arrived just in time present the children with a special certificate, and share a drink of orange juice and a biscuit with the children.
15/1/09
Bridgend County Borough Council is launching a public consultation exercise as the first step towards producing a Walking and Cycling Strategy for the county borough.
Between Monday 19 January and Friday 20 February, the authority will be asking local people for their views about its plans to address walking and cycling issues within the area.
The main focus of the strategy is on walking and cycling as modes of transport. It also promotes the health, economic and environmental benefits of using alternative methods of transport, and complements the Rights of Way Improvements Plan (ROWIP).
The full draft strategy and executive summary are available to view online at the consultation pages of the council’s official website, www.bridgend.gov.uk, where a short questionnaire is also available for participants to give their views on the draft strategy.
Copies of the draft strategy and questionnaire will also be available at libraries throughout Bridgend County Borough, tourist information centres in Bridgend and Porthcawl and at the Civic Offices in Angel Street, Bridgend.
Local interest groups including the Local Access Forum, Sustrans and town and community councils have been advised about the consultation and invited to take part.
