Police, fire and rescue services, forensic labs, horses, motorcycles, first responders, those who drive for work, councils, and opticians – the one thing they all have in common is Project EDWARD – Every Day Without A Road Death – which launches with its most ambitious full week of events to promote road safety.
Project EDWARD is backed by government, the emergency services, highways agencies, road safety organisations and British businesses and promotes an evidence-led, ‘safe system’ approach – the long-term objective of which is a road traffic system free from death and serious injury. This year’s theme is: Changing Minds, Changing Behaviour.
Three road trips will criss-cross the country from Monday to Friday visiting the very best examples of road safety projects across England and Wales. Along the way, some of the most influential thought leaders in road safety will be invited to come along for the ride and join the team to share their insights and experience.
Here are just a few of the highlights around the country:
Monday 17 – Safe system focus: safe vehicles
Tackling drink and drug driving is a serious challenge. Events showcase some of the best work around the country tackling impaired drivers.
Brighton
Lots to see here with an event centred on Jubilee Library
Find out what ‘drug goggles’ do to impair vision, distort space, induce vertigo
Learn about a new app designed to keep everyone safe on a night out
See also this video about distracted driving: Mind in Gear – Brighton City Council – UN prize winner lasts about 3 mins https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/MindInGear .
From 10.00, events include presentations from VIPs & guest speakers: Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne; Sussex Safer Roads; Dawn Whittaker East Sussex Fire Chief; GEM Motoring Assist; Keith Baldock, Brighton & Hove Council; Cheryl Evans, Senior Road Safety Officer West Berkshire
From 11.30, photo opportunities with the Project EDWARD car, chance to join a walking tour in Brighton to highlight infrastructure changes to reduce risk to vulnerable road users
Police ‘Safe Pass’ operation takes place
1330 Project EDWARD car leaves
Telford – Southwater Retail Park
Multi-agency public engagement event at Southwater Retail Park. The event will be organised by Telford & Wrekin Council, West Mercia Police and Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service and will feature demonstration of police enforcement camera vans, road safety equipment, impairment goggles, and advice on vehicle care and safety checks.
Tuesday 18 – Safe system focus: safe road use
Rugby – Dobbies Garden Centre, 10.00-15.00
Picking up the theme “Drive On”, the event focuses on older drivers, raising awareness of macular degeneration and the importance of eye tests every 6 months.
Taking part will be Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner.
Vehicle maintenance safety check demonstrations, information on Highway Code changes, free driving reviews plus a range of other interactive activities.
OXFORD – Radcliffe Square, Oxford County Council (Car free zone) 10.00-14.00
Oxford City Council and Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber will be hosting a public engagement event in Radcliffe Square with local road safety stakeholders to promote their Vision Zero strategy and showcase their latest road safety initiatives and enforcement technology. On display will be various emergency services vehicles, demonstrations of speed enforcement and roadside drug testing equipment.
1000 Event opens – Radcliffe Square, Catte Street, Oxford,
1015 Interviews and media footage captured with partners:
• DriveTech (AA)
• Oxfordshire Council
• Thames Valley Police
• Cycle Safety, Cyclops, Active Oxford, RSPOA, IAM
1200 Press Event:
Welcome and short address by Mathew Barber PCC
Vision Zero approached shared
Road safety innovations in Oxford highlighted by Council leaders/Police/Fire
1230 Interview with Mathew Barber – PCC
1240 Public engagement
1400 EDWARD car leaves
Wednesday 19 – Safe system focus: safe speeds
Highlighting the human cost of excessive speed and encouraging everyone to comply with the limits. #SafeSpeedDay
Wednesday 19 October is National Safe Speeds Day, and the National Roads Policing Operations and Intelligence and Investigation (NRPOII), the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and the Association of Police and Crime Commissions (APPC) have expressed their support.
Chief Constable Jo Shiner, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for roads policing says: “I am fully supportive of this year’s National Safe Speeds Day on Wednesday 19 October. Once again, I welcome the efforts by members of the Project EDWARD team to highlight the benefits for all road users of understanding and choosing speeds that are legal and safe.
“For a 24-hour period starting at 0700 on Wednesday 19 October police officers all over the UK will build on the excellent work they already do and focus their efforts even more to encourage compliance with speed limits, because we know lower speeds mean fewer road deaths.
“As well as delivering vital road safety benefits, lower driving speeds help to improve quality of life, especially in urban areas, as they reduce emissions, fuel consumption and noise.
“I urge you to ensure you always drive at speeds that are legal and safe, not because you might otherwise get caught – but because you recognise it as the right thing to do, remember that speed limits are just that, a limit not a target. By doing so we can all play a vital part in reducing unnecessary death and serious injury on our roads.”
Katy Bourne, Association of Police and Crime Commissioners lead for road safety, says: “Every 22 minutes someone is killed or seriously injured on UK roads. These figures are a stark reminder that more needs to be done to make our roads safer. I am determined to drive forward progressive and lasting change, by ensuring that police have all the tools they need to understand how and why collisions occur and also educating the public on how they can protect themselves and others as road users.
“As the APCC National Lead for Road Safety, I am delighted to support Project EDWARD as it continues to raise the profile of road safety year on year.”
Preston, Lancs
Public engagement event at the famous Preston Bus Station – one of the largest in the world – and hosted by the Lancashire Road Safety Partnership. The event will feature various road safety demonstrations and activities at the heart of Lancashire’s road safety strategy.
Thursday 20 – Safe system focus: safe roads and roadsides
Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire – Tesco
Bedfordshire County Council, working with the Fire & Rescue Service, will be holding a public engagement event in the Tesco car park to raise awareness among shoppers of vehicle roadworthiness and tyre safety.
Friday 21 – Safe system focus: post-crash care and driving for work
While all days will feature topics that impact business drivers, Friday 21st will focus primarily on ‘driving and riding for work’ with significant input and content provided by Driving for Better Business in collaboration with a number of its partners.
Driving for work is one of the highest-risk activities that many employees undertake, whether they drive a commercial vehicle, a company car or make occasional work journeys in their own vehicle. As the gig economy continues to grow, this also means those who ride for work as well as those who drive.
Looking at the very latest challenges and developments in road safety and how they will affect our roads in the future.
Durham
The Project EDWARD team will be at Roadchef A1M motorway service area during the day for a public engagement event with Durham County Council and their road safety partners. One of the cabs from the National Highways Operation Tramline project will be also be patrolling locally and joining the event.
This year Project EDWARD is being delivered by Projects Zero Limited. Sponsors and partners are National Highways; Nextbase UK; Westcotec; D.tec International; GEM Motoring Assist; HCC Solicitors; DriveTech, from the AA; Jenoptik Traffic Solutions; Webfleet; Bosch Mobility Solutions; StarTraq; Driving for Better Business;
Full details of events, activity, resources, supporters and sponsors can be found on the Project EDWARD website www.projectedward.org and via #ProjectEDWARD on social media.
Media contact: Becky Hadley, [email protected] 07733 054839
Note to media
Many of these events will be photo/telegenic with Police and Fire Services vehicles, air ambulances and with supporting visual materials. Please make contact if you would like to attend to film/photograph/interview at any event.
Project EDWARD: our vision to 2030
Our work will continue to be guided by the Safe System and the goad of a road transport system free from death and serious injury. We will continue to provide a multi-stakeholder platform to celebrate the success that can follow from implementing the latest research. Working with like-minded partners from across different sectors, we will share good practice in road safety and spread the best ideas, both in the UK and in other parts of the world. As a result, we believe we can make a contribution towards improving the quality of live for communities everywhere and make the roads safer.
Projects Zero operates across transport, healthcare and sustainability sectors. Using the proven success of Project EDWARD as its benchmark initiative, Projects Zero seeks to provide a multi-stakeholder platform for sharing success where zero is the ultimate goal: the reduction of diseases, pollution and inequality, and supporting sustainable living.
