Welcome to Road Safety Wales
15/12/08
A public consultation exercise is being launched as the first step towards a Walking and Cycling Strategy for Bridgend County Borough. The strategy will aim to maintain current routes and provide new ones for walkers and cyclists, as well as promote the health, economic and environmental benefits of these alternatives to using a car.
Councillor Lyn Morgan, Cabinet Member for Wellbeing said: "I welcome this. Walking and cycling are some of the best ways of keeping fit. This can only improve the health of residents of the county borough."
Copies of the draft strategy will be available in all libraries, Tourist Information Centres, Civic Offices and via the Bridgend County Borough Council website.
Local interest groups including the Local Access Forum, RNIB, Sustrans and town and community councils will also be advised of the consultation.
For more information, contact the Communications team on (01656) 643217, 643663 or 643648. Website: www.bridgend.gov.uk Email: talktous@bridgend.gov.uk
17/10/08
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| Officially opening the new facilities are Cllr Gwilym Evans, Anthea Jones (Cycling Officer from Powys County Council), Headteacher Ms Linda Jones, Cllr Kelvin Curry, and pupils from the school. |
School children in Rhayader can now bike to school safely thanks to an improved cycling facilities. Powys County Council secured £60,000 from the Welsh Assembly Government for the project, which included a new cycle shelter at the school, path widening, segregated access to the school grounds and associated fencing.
The new facilities were officially opened on Wednesday (October 1) during an afternoon of celebrations at the school. Councillor Gwilym Evans, Powys County Council’s Board member with responsibility for Road Safety and local County Councillor Kelvin Curry also attended.
Councillor Evans said: “We are delighted to open these new facilities. The school were very active in their request for a route and we’re delighted to have been able to secure funding to enable this to happen.”
Ms Linda Jones, Headteacher at Rhayader Primary School, said: “I am thrilled with the new route and shelter. We are keen for as many children as possible to walk and cycle to school. It helps to create a safer environment around the school with less traffic and we are keen to promote green forms of travel."
10/10/08
If you have ever been or ever wanted to be a cyclist in Swansea, now's your chance to have a say on Swansea Council's Cycling Action Plan.
The Environment, Regeneration and Culture Overview Board is currently looking at the development of the plan and wants to know what the people of Swansea think about cycling in and around the area.
Chair of the Environment, Regeneration and Culture Overview Board, Councillor Rob Speht, said: "Cycling is an important way of reducing our city centre congestion, and improving the health of local residents.
"We are interested in looking at new ways of encouraging cycling in Swansea and are keen to hear the views of people that may be interested."
All those who complete the survey will be entered into a free prize draw to win a bike donated by Schmoos of Wyndham Street. Please click on the link to complete the questionnaire.
For further information please contact 01792 637732 or email scrutiny@swansea.gov.uk
1/10/08
A drive to encourage pupils at St Therese's Catholic Primary School to get on their bikes has received a welcomed boost with the installation of new bike racks.
The school received funding from the Healthy Schools Initiative to purchase the racks, which were fitted by Neath Port Talbot Council's Road Safety team during the summer holidays.
Staff at the school have worked tirelessly to encourage pupils to use more healthy modes of transport to travel back and forth to school.
Cabinet member for environment Arwyn Woolcock said the school has the advantage of being situated on flat land and in close proximity to pupils' homes in the Sandfields estate.
"However, being based in such a large housing estate means that the area becomes more heavily congested than would normally expected around other schools," he said.
"By cycling to school the children are doing their bit to help ease congestions, improve safety for pedestrians and reduce pollution.
"The initiative will also impact on the children's health by encouraging them to take regular exercise."
Since the start of the new academic year, the pupils of St Therese's have made a conscience effort to use this new facility to not only improve their fitness but also to consider their safety by abiding by the new school rules of , No Helmet No Bike!
"I am delighted to see that the pupils of St Therese's Primary School are enjoying the benefit of their newly fitted bike racks," added Councillor Woolcock.
The Road Safety unit are also encouraging safe riding by offering skills sessions throughout the school.
7/7/08
Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council has launched a Try Cycling to Work Programme for its employees. The Cycle Experience Company, with extensive experience in cycle training and promotional services was commissioned by the Road Safety section to support and help set up the programme and get people cycling, more safely, more often.
The Try Cycling to Work programme, led by Jill Harper, Road Safety Officer of the Authority's Road Safety Section, is part of Merthyr Tydfil CBC’s efforts to encourage healthier lifestyles. It aims to give those who sign up to the programme the opportunity to experience the health benefits, fun and time and money savings that can be achieved by cycling to work rather than by travel by car or public transport.
The programme asked employees to register for a four week period from June 4th – July 4th, and cycle to and from work as often as possible during this time. 28 employees signed up to take on the challenge and were provided with a quality bike, accessories, advice on route planning, cycle commuting and cycle security. They were also encouraged to use the bikes and equipment for leisure purposes.
At the end of the 4 weeks employees will be offered the chance to purchase the bike and/or the accessories normally at a minimum of 30% off the usual retail price. If they don’t wish to do so they simply return them on the final day. There is no cost to employees to take part. Each registered employee will be in with a chance of winning a bike at the end of the challenge after pre and post questionnaires have been completed.
2/7/08
Cyclists will be getting a helping hand to make sure their thirsts are quenched on this year's Gower Bike Ride.
Road Safety Officers from Swansea Council will be handing out 500 specially designed water bottles to the first 500 riders over the line when the event takes place this Sunday (July 6).
Hundreds of cyclists will be making their way along the 29-mile circular route around Gower with the start and finish at St Helen's Recreation Ground. The event, organised by the British Heart Foundation, also consists of a shorter 16-mile route for those feeling slightly less energetic.
Jeff Green, Swansea Council's Road Safety Officer, said, "We are always really happy to support the annual Gower Bike Ride. We aim to try and pass on tips to riders to enable them to keep safe while they cycle. Last year we wanted to get more cyclists to wear helmets.
"We are giving away water bottles this year to the first 500 who cross the finishing line. Everyone taking part should make sure they take plenty to drink."
Mali James, Event Organiser for the British Heart Foundation, said, "We are really grateful to Swansea Council and the Road Safety Team for supporting this popular event.
"The event always encourages cyclists from all around the region to take part and help raise money for the charity. This year we are delighted that local boxing hero Enzo Maccarinelli is taking part.
"If you still have not registered to take part in the bike ride you can still do so on the day of the event between 8.30am and 10am. The event has a new start time this year between 9am and 10am - so be sure to be there before 10am to join the hundereds on the course."
For more information on the Gower Bike Ride or any other events that are organised by The British Heart Foundation visit www.bhf.org.uk
25/6/08
Plans for a national cycle training standard across Wales were announced today in a bid to improve safety and the take-up of cycling amongst children and young people.
At a Walking and Cycling and Conference in Cardiff, the Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing, Jane Davidson, said the Welsh Assembly Government would be investing £250,000 to train more than 100 instructors to teach the new standards across Wales.
The aim is to increase the number of qualified instructors that can deliver cycle training to a consistent standard that prepares children and adults to cycle on today’s roads. Ms Davidson said:
The Welsh Assembly Government is committed to getting more people to cycle – as a form of transport; as a means of becoming more physically active; and as a way of getting out and enjoying our countryside.
We all need to reduce our carbon footprint, and cycling can help to make a real difference here – especially since the majority of car journeys are less than 5 miles long. With the cost of motoring on the rise, cycling is a cheap, healthy, and sustainable means of transport.
So I’m delighted to announce today this new initiative which the Assembly Government is funding this year to encourage more people to cycle.
The Cycle Training National Standards have already been adopted by a small number of local authorities in Wales, but the new money and the partnership with CTC - the UK’s national cyclists' organisation - will help ensure coverage across Wales.
Working with the CTC Charitable Trust and the Sports Council, the £250,000 funding over three years will be used to get the National Standards adopted across Wales alongside the successful Bikeability brand.
CTC Director Kevin Mayne said:
We call Bikeability cycling proficiency for the 21st Century. It gives parents and children the confidence to make their daily journeys by bike under real conditions. We are delighted that the Welsh Assembly is encouraging more people to cycle. The funding will also enable us to employ a Cycle Training Development Officer who will be dedicated to supporting all the providers of cycling activities in Wales as they get more people on their bikes.
Ms Davidson said:
CTC estimate that around 10% of year 6 pupils in Wales receive some cycle training, but rarely is this undertaken on roads. We want to see this changed dramatically through a programme of work to get over 100 instructors trained in the National Standards who will then provide appropriate cycle training to schools and to adults. A new project officer is also being recruited to help co-ordinate this work.
18/6/08
Denbighshire County Council is joining in the spirit of Bike Week (June 14 – 22) with a series of training activities for the county’s children.
Bike Week is an annual opportunity to promote cycling as a source of fitness and fun.
Denbighshire's Road Safety Team organises cycle training using the new National Standards www.ctsb.org.uk These replaced the old cycle proficiency, which many people will be familiar with, last September.
Over 500 young cyclists from 25 of the county's primary or junior schools have taken levels 1 and 2 training during this school year. This training continues throughout Bike Week at Clocaenog and Cyffylliog primary schools.
On Wednesday, June 18, Bryn Hedydd primary school, Rhyl, is holding a Cycle Fun Day for all the pupils, based on the national standards level 1 exercises and graded to suit each year group. This is being arranged by a parent, Barry Dunn, who is also an accredited instructor for the new training. Level 1 of the new standards is a series of off road control and manoeuvrability exercises designed to ensure that the cyclist is safe to proceed onto the level 2 training which takes place on quiet local roads. The level 3 standard trains cyclists to ride safely in the complexity of the modern road network and traffic conditions.
Cllr Eryl Williams, Lead Member for Environment and Sustainable Development, says, “It’s marvellous to see our young cyclists on their bikes wearing helmets and visibility vests and getting the real road training experience which could enable them to become regular riders as they get older.”
If you are interested in becoming an instructor, please contact Alan Hinchliffe Denbighshire's Road Safety Officer on 01824 706887.
16/6/08
Bike Week, a UK annual celebration of cycling runs from 14-22 June 2008.
Government-funded with support from the cycle industry, Bike Week aims to get more people cycling, more often. Any organisation or individual can become an event organiser and take advantage of the support provided during Bike Week, which includes free promotional material, inclusion on the bike week online database, and public liability insurance if required.
The Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing, Jane Davidson marked the start of Bike Week 2008 by cycling into work this morning (Monday 16 June). Ms Davidson said:
I am very pleased to be helping to promote Bike Week and urge people throughout Wales to get out and cycle. I am also pleased that the Assembly is setting a good example by arranging our own events for staff during Bike Week.
She also outlined a number of Assembly Government Initiatives that are underway to encourage people throughout Wales to cycle:
- Walking and cycling Conference - In partnership with Sports Council for Wales, CCW and Sustrans Cymru, to help shape future actions in the promotion of Walking and Cycling on 25 June, now fully booked.
- Introduction of the National Standards in Cycle Training to Wales. Undertaken by CTC Charitable Trust and funded by Welsh Assembly Government, to significantly increase the number of qualified instructors to provide more children with high quality cycle training.
- Bike It Projects - Sustrans Cymru will receive funding for 2 pilot ‘Bike It’ projects that aim to get more school children cycling to school.
- Sustainable cycle tourism and accommodation: Working with Visit Wales to improve provision of accommodation information alongside the National Cycle Routes in Wales, to enable the public to search for accommodation that is close to the National cycle Routes in the same way that can be done for national Walking Trails.
- Olympics 2012 Legacy Action Plan – Officials are in touch with Sports colleagues and the Welsh Assembly Government 2012 Olympics team about promoting mountain bike venues in Wales for training purposes by teams participating in the Olympics.
Ms Davidson added:
If more people walk and cycle across Wales it will help reduce their dependence on the car, and contribute to cutting CO2 emissions which are causing climate change. We all need to reduce our carbon footprint, and cycling can help to make a real difference. With the cost of motoring on the rise, cycling is a cheap, healthy, and sustainable means of transport.
Website: Bike Week 2008
28/4/08
Forty local Bobbies have got in the saddle to help beat crime and anti social behaviour in Swansea. The South Wales Police Officers have all taken part in special cycle training with Swansea Council's Road Safety Team in a bid to help them get on their bikes while on the beat.
Sgt Phil Davies of South Wales Police Communities and Partnership Team says the opportunity to put officers on a bike when they are out on patrol means they can create better links with communities.
He said, "Having our local patrols out on bikes instead of in cars makes the officers much more accessible to residents in our communities. The training has enabled them to do this safely."
The Council has also enlisted the help of some of the police officers to boost their training of cycle safety to school children in Swansea schools. This has meant that more children have been provided with vital cycle safety training than ever before. New figures have shown that there has been more than an 11 percent increase in the number of schools who received training in 2007/2008.
Clive John, Swansea Council's Cycle Road Safety Officer said, "We have over 80 primary schools in Swansea which we aim to get around.
"Training the Police to go into schools and provide this vital safety knowledge to schoolchildren has enabled us to visit more schools than we did the previous year. The increase means 1,259 ten and eleven year olds can now ride their bikes with safety in mind when out on the streets of Swansea.
Sgt Davies added, "It's important that we work with local authorities to pass on road safety to schoolchildren. I'm delighted we have been able to make a difference."
