Road Safety:
The Road Safety Unit provides a range of road safety education
and training programmes including:-
Child Pedestrian Training
Background
Between 2004-2007, Northumberland County
Council participated in a pilot training scheme
‘Kerbcraft’, to deliver practical road safety training to
young children in yrs 1&2, within the Urban South East area of
Northumberland.
A full time permanent Co-ordinator was
appointed early in 2008 to organise and deliver a programme of
training, assisted by volunteers from every school that undertook
training.
The programme deliverers ‘On Road’ practical
training on the ‘Safer Places’ to cross the road together with
classroom based sessions confirming ‘How to be Safe’ and when and
where to cross the road, together with confirming the ‘dangers of
road traffic’.
Outdoor sessions require close supervision,
with each route being carefully ‘Risk Assessed’ so children are
taken out in small groups, supported by local school volunteers who
are all CRB cleared.
Each year 20 schools participate with the
‘Kerbcraft’ programme training approximately 1500
children. Schools are subsequently re visited during yr 4-5 and the
children are provided with a refresher classroom talk.
Additionally pre-school children also
undertake ‘Kerbcraft’ training within Nursery’s and
Reception classes where approximately 200 children are given Road
Safety information including how to use a school crossing patrol
‘Lollipop’ sites, before they attend school.
In preparation to ‘Kerbcraft’
training, all children at 3yrs of age within Northumberland are
provided with the book, ‘Stepping Out Together-A Lesson for
Life’, which is available to all parents and carers to help
reinforce learning and promote good behaviour while walking and
travelling especially within built up areas. This excellent book is
distributed via Health Visitors and Clinics, Sure Start Centres,
Nursery’s and Reception Classes. Copies are also available direct
from the Road Safety Unit within County Hall. (01670 533939).
Cycle Training
Since 2008, all eligible schools (children in
yrs 8-9 &10-11) within Northumberland have had access to
‘Bikeabilty’ cycle training, the ‘National Standard’ for cycle
training. This has been achieved by securing a generous annual
Cycle Training Grant from the Dept of Transport previously via
Cycle England and as from 2012 through, ‘Steers Davies Gleeve’
Within Northumberland training delivery is
provided by a professional cycle training organisation on our
behalf, ‘Cycle Experience’, who are fully accredited by the ‘Cycle
Training Standards Board’ and employ dedicated teams of
professionally qualified cycle instructors, working through out
Northumberland. We have successfully built up the Bikeability
training programme over the past four years, so that during the
year 2010/11 a total of 2900 children undertook cycle training
(over 3000 by the end of 2011/12) plus an additional 250 children
who attend some of the small rural schools who received ‘in house’
cycle training to level (1) standards.
Two levels of training are provided.
- Level (1) training is offered to all year 4
children (8/9yrs) and provides basic cycling skills and observation
training in an ‘off road’ safe environment, followed by level
(2)
- Level (2) yrs 5 & 6 children (10 &
11yrs), undertake a minimum of 4.5 hrs of training part of which is
undertaken on the public highway. This enables the theory of their
training to be put into practice, in a carefully supervised
environment. All Instructors are professionally qualified and CRB
cleared. All cycling on the highway is well supervised on routes
that are risk assessed and signposted, advising other road users
that cycle training is in progress.
There is no charge to schools for the training
which also awards a certificate and badge to all successful
children. Courses are undertaken during term time to promote the
high level of importance, that such training offers and to maximise
the numbers of children able and willing to undertake the training
while reducing exclusion for those who would be otherwise unable to
attend if undertaken outside normal school times. (Unfortunately
not every school will allow this, please ask your local
school).
To ensure as many children as possible are able to access cycle
training, we are able to provide a variety of ‘back up’ cycles and
crash helmets that may be transported to schools for children who
may not have access to a bicycle or helmet but who still wish to
undertake the training.
- Level (3). As from April 2012 Level (3) cycle
training will also be available for children between yrs 7-9.
which involves more ‘on the road’, based training that will
equip children with the skills to ride confidently and more safely
on the road, especially if cycling to school.
Grant funding may also be used for the
Training of Instructors and Assistants, purchasing Awards
Materials, maintaining and adding to a pool of spare cycles and
safety equipment to ensure that all children may access the
scheme.
Adults may also apply for professional cycle
training but as Northumberland is unable to offer this, Adult
training would need to be provided by an independent provider.
Additional Information may be obtained
from:-
http://www.bikeability.org.uk/
http://www.cycleexperience.com/
http://www.steerdaviesgleave.com/
Educational talks under 12s
Through out the year the Road Safety Unit
visit as many schools as possible to deliver road safety
educational lessons that not only provides information and advice
but also supports the training skills learnt from Kerbcraft and
Cycle Training.
During 2010/11 over 1700 children received
road safety educational talks within schools, mainly delivered to
small groups of children of approximately ten in number, to
maximise involvement and interest.
Ghost Street 12-16
Ghost Street is a new 10minute DVD road safety
resource developed by ‘Newcastle Road Safety section, targeting
young people aged 12-16yrs , highlighting the dangers of
distraction in a series of incidents involving speeding motorists,
seatbelt usage, skate boarding, listening to music when crossing
the road, mobile phone usage and cycle helmet safety. The film
enables discussion to follow so the young people can reflect upon
their own behaviour and attitudes as pedestrians on the roads that
will hopefully prevent further accidents and injury to this
vulnerable age group.
Further information may be obtained by
contacting
Ghost Street: http://www.ghoststreet.co.uk/
Driver training
During 2009/10 external funding was secured
for 12months to provide a driver training programme, ‘Safer Driving
for Life’ for qualified older drivers (60+) who had been either
referred by the police or had volunteered to undertake a practical
driver refresher course.
This course was rolled out during 2010/11 and
was delivered by an Advanced Driving Instructor working for
A.D.A.P.T . (Action by Differently Abled People in Tynedale).
100 people successfully undertook the training
during the eligible period which ended during March 2011. Hopefully
additional funding will be secured in the very near future to
enable this important programme to continue.
For further information on ADAPT see:
http://www.generaloffice@adapt-ne.org.uk
We support the work of advanced driving groups
such as the Institute of Advanced
Motorists (IAM)and The Royal Society for the
Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).
Advice on driver training is available to all local organisations
who wish to improve the driving standards of their employees.
Post Test Motorcycle Training
ExpertRider is a one day rider
development course aimed at the experienced rider who wishes to
take their riding ability to the ‘next level’, whether a returning
rider or for someone lacking confidence following a spill or wobble
or upgrading to a larger more powerful motorcycle. .
The days riding consists of approximately
6+hrs of observed riding through out Northumberland over a hundred
miles on some of the best motorcycling roads in the Country.
The course is delivered by Ex-Northumbria
Police Motorcycle Instructors and may be undertaken on a one to one
basis or a shared day with a friend on a two to one basis.
Further details are available on
the County Council web site see ‘Road Safety- ExpertRider’, or by
logging onto http://www.riderespect.co.uk/
For longer term rider development we recommend
and support further additional training provided by both RoSPA
(http://www.roadar-northeast.co.uk/)
and NAM (http://www.nam-online.org/) who
are committed enthusiastic local motorcyclists who always welcome
new members to share their skills and knowledge. Both groups are
active within the County and also provide advanced training for car
and commercial vehicle drivers.
SafetyWorks
‘Safety Works’ is an interactive safety
workshop facility occupying the premises of the former ‘Byker
Grove’ film studio located in the Benwell area of Newcastle. The
facility comprises of various safety scenarios including:-
Electrical and Fire dangers within the home, dangers of Open Water
and Space, a Metro line and Station, Thefts from Shops, a Police
Station, a Hospital Casualty Department, Internet Safety, Dark
areas within an Urban Environment and the dangers of the Road. The
street scene facility includes a fully operational puffin crossing
and a wall projected moving traffic scene.
The main partners of Safety Works are the five
Tyne and Wear Local Authorities (Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead,
North Tyneside and South Tyneside), Nexus, Tyne and Wear Fire &
Rescue Service, St Johns Ambulance, Sainsbury’s, The Environmental
Agency and Northumbria Police. However Schools, Older People
and Disabled groups from Northumberland are encouraged to use the
facility and the Road Safety Unit provides interactive educational
talks specifically relating to a wide variety of road safety issues
throughout the year, when visitors from Northumberland attend the
centre.
During 2010/11 the Road Safety team worked
with over 830 people who attended Safetyworks
For more information about
‘Safetyworks’ and how to book a visit to the centre
contact
Email: Safety.Works@twfire.gov.uk
Website: http://www.safetyworks.org.uk/
Road Safety Theatre in Education for yr 9 pupils
A live theatre performance entitled ‘Josh
Green Posted on your Wall’, was performed to several middle schools
for yr 8 & 9 pupils through out Northumberland during June and
July 2011.
“This exciting new performance, focuses on pedestrian safety,
supported by a multimedia backdrop, highlighting the
consequences of irresponsible behaviour. This challenging piece of
theatre brought to life the serious issues young people face on our
roads or when using public transport”
42 schools & 8,500 pupils within the
region saw the performance and took part in the subsequent
workshops.
The performance was delivered by
‘Theatre&Learning’ a nationally recognise theatre company on
behalf of the Road Safety Teams from Northumberland and Tyne &
Wear, following a successful joint funding bid to N.S.R.I.
(Northumbria Safer Roads Initiative).
For further information
N.S.R.I. – http://www.safespeedforlife.co.uk
Theatre&Learning— http://www.theatreand.com
Watch your Step
The above program is part of the
‘Northumberland Community Initiatives’ managed by Castle Morpeth
Disability Association, regularly supported by the Road Safety
unit, with joint presentations within First Schools, highlighting
the difficulties that people with various physical
disabilities face at times when walking on footpaths or
crossing the road. The presentation also includes identifying the
various dangers of using the road and road safety information
identifying and using ‘Safer Places’ to cross a road.
During 2010/11, 5 schools were visited
delivering safety presentation to 139 yr 4 & 5 children.
Child Car Seats
During 2010/11 A National campaign was
launched to highlight safety issues relating to the appropriate use
of child car safety seats. The campaign was promoted by ‘Road
Safety GB’ and was launched in the Northern Region in Bedlington,
Northumberland, where a clinic was held in Tesco’s car park to
offer advice and information in, ‘the correct fitting, use and
purchase of child car safety seats’.
In preparation to the beginning of the
campaign, staff from Northumberland Care Trust and local Sure Start
Children’s Centre’s undertook training to offer support and advice
regarding to issues relating to the correct use of child car safety
seats.
Be Bright and Be Seen this winter
This years campaign began at Cambois First
school in October and continued beyond the New Year.
The message is simple, ‘Now that the
clocks have gone back and it’s getting darker earlier, its more
important than ever to make sure you can be seen when you are out
and about near roads’…. ‘Wear something Bright & Be
Seen’
For more road safety tips, games and videos,
visit the Tales of the Road website at http://www.direct.gov.uk/talesoftheroad
Additional Information may also be
found on the following web sites
Events and Activities
Additional Events and Summer activities
were supported by the Road Safety Unit during the year
including:-
The annual Salvation Army ‘Summer Health
Fayre’ held in Bedlington on Saturday 2nd July once
again proved to be a popular occasion blessed by good weather that
encouraged a well attended event.
A wide range of activities and stalls
including healthy eating, herbal/natural foods and drinks, eye
sight and hearing testing, sun screening information for children
and adults, home security and safety information, together with the
ever popular face painting and children’s arts and crafts all
contributed to another successful and well supported day.
Sure Start, School Summer Fayres
The Road Safety unit was also able to support
and attend Summer Fayres again this year, organised by
Northumberland Sure Start and held at the Children’s Centres in
Seaton Valley and Blyth Central.
These popular events were well attended and
all exhibitors provided a wide range of valuable home, health and
personal information that both supports and compliments the work
undertaken by the Sure Start teams.
Sunderland Air Show
The Road Safety Unit was pleased to support
the (NSRI) ‘Road Respect’ team of the ‘Northumbria Safer Roads
Initiative’, who attended the ‘Sunderland Air Show’.
With an estimated 1million people attending
the show over the week end, ‘Road Respect’ is primarily targeting
the younger car driver, (17-24yrs) a high accident risk group, but
also engages with all car and motorcycle users over the week end,
providing road safety awareness and information.
KRASH Motorshow
This new event was held at Team Valley Trading
Estate on Sunday 9th October organised by NSRI
Northumbria Safer Roads Initiative and again supported by the Road
Safety Unit. The aim of the show was to engage not only with young
motorists (17-24yrs) but all motorcar and motorcycle enthusiasts.
The event was further supported by Whickham and District Motor Club
and Gateshead College and featured Autocross and Rally
demonstrations, Auto Solo trials, RC races and professional driving
and riding displays.
An intended low key inaugural event, over 700
people attended the day’s activities and demonstrations.
It is intended to develop this event for next
year and to hold it within Northumberland as a regular event.
Further Road Safety Information may be found on the following
web sites
