Community Bike Marking Event

Merseyside Police in partnership with St Helens Council are holding a community bike marking event at Billinge Police Station on Tuesday 30th May 2023.

Keep your bike safe by registering it with the Bike Register. Simply register the bike by adding it to the national database, mark and protect your bike with a security marking kit and apply a warning label to deter theft.

Tuesday 30th May 2023 between 13:30 – 16:00 Merseyside Police in partnership with St Helens Council will be holding a community bike marking event where you can register your bike for free.

The event will be held at Billinge Police Station, Main Street, WN5 7HA.

Officers will mark your bike and register it with the national database, you can bring your new or old cycles. Children must be accompanied by an adult and all you will need to register is an email address.

Registering your bike is free and once imported onto the database will stay there, you will receive a registration logbook to be used as proof of ownership and login details for the bike register to access and manage your online account and details.

Not all bike frames are equipped with a unique reference number so registering your bike and having it marked with Bike Register will supply your bike with its own unique details ensuring if it is stolen it’s easier to identify and recover.
Pop along to the event at Billinge Police Station, if you have any questions get in touch via our contact us page.

Safe Vehicle Awareness in May

During May we will be highlighting awareness of Safe vehicles, one of the 5 pillars outlined within the LCR Road Safety Strategy.

You will see content across our social media channels, highlighting the importance of Safe vehicles.

We will be working to encourage drivers to check their own, borrowed or rented vehicles before setting off. The Road Traffic Act is clear with ‘drive’ being incorporated into most offences. While maintenance may be the responsibility of the keeper, the Road Traffic Act outlines, it is an offence to drive a vehicle that is not insured, with no valid test certificate, in a dangerous condition, etcetera.

We will be providing guidance on checks and what to look for throughout the month ensuring you are Road Safe.

Throughout May the focus will be Safe Vehicles, we will however be working towards other campaigns and projects, one of which being Project EDWARD which will be making an appearance in Merseyside on Tuesday 16th May, full coverage of the visit will be made available during the weeklong road trip.

The Safer Vehicles pillar seeks to reduce road danger by focusing on vehicles which present the greatest risk on our roads. In recent decades, vehicle safety improvements have tended to reduce danger principally for those inside the vehicle.

New technologies offer the opportunities to improve safety for those outside the vehicle too. Research by UCL Centre for Transport Studies shows that across Great Britain around 1 in 3 road deaths, 1 in 5 seriously injured and 1 in 4 casualties of all severities involve someone driving for work. The study estimates that 39% of killed pedestrians were hit by a working driver. The risk that working drivers face is also highlighted by the increase in the volume of Light Goods Vehicles in recent years. Whilst vans and lorries are the life blood of cities supplying, food and other goods for business, and without them our way of life wouldn’t be possible, volumes of Light Commercial Vehicle traffic (vehicle kms) increased by more than three-quarter (76%) between 2001 and 2019 across the LCR11, with popularity for vans rising with the influx of new small businesses entering the market and the increased demand for online shopping deliveries.

There are ongoing schemes and initiatives across the LCR which seek to reinforce good practice within the prevalent users of our roads. There are established programmes of education for taxi driver input, and through Wirral Council’s Mind Your Business scheme which works alongside businesses and their employees to manage road safety at work. This award-winning scheme features practical, theoretical and legal input and has been recognised at the National Transport Awards. The Safe Vehicles pillar also focuses on technological innovation in respect of modern forms of urban, sustainable travel.

The pandemic has brought a significant shift in the accessibility of goods and services with a much greater emphasis on home delivery. This has seen an increase in vehicles on the road within the business driving sector, who are looking towards automation and telematics to increase safety and identify vehicle activities. Telematics are also being introduced Merseyside Police as an emerging new technology.

Vehicle technology is also changing with the advent of the General Safety Regulations, which are likely to have significant impact on the safety features appearing on new vehicles in the next few years. Most notable for the safety of those outside a vehicle are the introduction of Advanced Emergency Braking Systems and Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA). There are opportunities from ISA to hugely increase compliance levels with speed limits in built-up areas which makes setting the appropriate speed limit even more important to be able to gain the advantages this technology can offer.

The evaluation of the e-scooter trial within Liverpool will be invaluable in assessing the long-term viability of this specific type of vehicle in contribution to greener, cleaner and cheaper forms of movement through the LCR networks. Within the LCR, there is a shared responsibility for vehicles used on the network.

There will be ongoing educational programmes and communication campaigns to inform owners of the importance of vehicle maintenance, followed up with roadside checks and enforcement with partners Merseyside Police and DVSA. Analysis can identify both vehicles of influence in KSIs and other problematic behaviours, for example, a prevalence of drink and or drug driving in certain sectors and shape enforcement and educational opportunities around this.

Be Road Safe – #SafeVehicles

Safer Roads Watch

Merseyside’s Safer Roads Watch Volunteer scheme is a pathway for individuals who are passionate about maintaining road safety and keeping their communities safe.

Members of the public are being provided the opportunity to help keep the roads of Merseyside safe by working with local police. Volunteers are provided with support and training from Merseyside Police and are supported by their Local Council, with the aim to promote road safety.

For information on how to apply Contact us on: Contact – Merseyside Road Safety Partnership
Include Your name, email address, the road/s of concern and someone will get back to you shortly.

Speed is one of the fatal five and a recognised contributing factor into collisions resulting in an individual being killed or seriously injured on our roads. By becoming a Safer Roads Watch Volunteer you will be recruited by Merseyside Police as a volunteer, you will work in your own area to make your community and your roads safer.

Once trained, Safer Roads Watch Volunteers will be issued with Speed Detection Devices, documentation and a high visibility jacket. You will work under the supervision of your local policing team until fully trained. Once signed off as competent your group may work independently, only calling police to book on or off duty.

You will record details of vehicles traveling in excess of the speed limit, Merseyside Police Safer Roads Unit will then write to the registered keeper of the vehicle providing education and advice regarding speeding and the impact it has. Serious or repeat vehicles may be delegated to Police Officers for further enquiries.

While enforcement is effective at reducing speed, educational input is also key to making our Roads Safer, many speed through misconception, some through lack of local knowledge and others by simply not understanding what to look out for.
With your assistance we can engage with drivers at the first opportunity to ensure they know what to look out for and how to Be Road Safe.

By working together with communities, we can ensure Safer Roads for everyone.

LCR Road Safety Strategy – Safe Speeds

The speed at which vehicles travel on our roads have a direct impact on the risk and safety of those who share the network.

If a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle at 20mph, they are about five times less likely to be killed than if it were travelling at 30mph.

A reduction in speed is fundamental to reducing road danger and encourages the implementation of lower speeds appropriate to the geography of the road, supported by intelligent engineering and design. Whilst analysis identifies and frames the safer speeds work, it offers communities the opportunity to take ownership of their own area through information exchange and initiatives such as Safer Roads Watch, which promotes a safe environment in which communities can live, work, exercise and commute.

VISION ZERO

Safe Speeds Safer Roads Watch was established to forge working partnerships between Merseyside Police, Local Authorities, and communities to address road safety concerns in their areas. This is a collaborative scheme which will increase the opportunity for reactivity to community led intelligence and a sense of ownership to local issues.

Research has shown that 20mph limits are generally well received, are most effective where traffic signs are accompanied by road markings, and more so where there are traffic calming features such as road narrowing or speed humps. It adds that consideration should also be given to encouraging local authorities to work with the police, health, environment, urban planning, education, and the local community to deliver 20mph limits as part of an integrated approach to addressing transport, community, environment and health objectives, subject to available funding.

Community led intelligence provides the opportunity to shape enforcement in areas to prevent what could become a potential KSI hotspot. Community underpins the work of the Partnership with a forward facing, targeted approach taken to addressing concerns within neighbourhoods and areas identified by those who live and travel there.

This allows for greater interaction with road users and promotes the work of the Partnership in a localised, specific manner enabling a more cohesive approach to active travel Enforcement of these areas is led by Merseyside Police through a combined approach including Local Policing, Roads Policing Unit and the Safer Roads Unit using both static and mobile technology to provide enforcement activity.

This can be implemented throughout the existing enforcement site structure and include the capacity to be reactive to emerging concerns. 20mph speed limits reduce speeds in urban areas. In conjunction with local communities, these areas will be sympathetic to existing street layouts whilst encouraging compliance through innovative engineering and design in conjunction with traditional enforcement. Through analysis and community interaction, we will look to identify areas which would benefit from further intervention.

Contact us on: Contact – Merseyside Road Safety Partnership for more information and how to apply.
Include Your name, email address, the road/s of concern and someone will get back to you shortly.

NPCC 2 Wheel Operation

The NPCC 2 Wheel Operation was launched Monday 10th April 2023. The campaign has seen engagement with drivers and cyclists through Close Pass operations lead by Merseyside Police Roads Policing Unit, with communications highlighting Safe Behaviour and enforcement activity.

We have worked with Voi to terminate scooters where riding was identified to be below the standards expected.

Illegal scooters have been seized when ridden in a public place and scrambler bikes have been taken off the road.

Roads Policing Unit have been engaging with motorcyclists at meet ups and Bike Safe Workshops delivering key safety messaging.

The campaign has served to educate all road users on the potential dangers and hazards facing two wheel riders.

RoadPol Operation Speed

Sunday marked the conclusion of RoadPol’s Operation Speed. The campaign to tackle one of the fatal 5 was an international one and an Operation Merseyside Road Safety Partnership was proud to support.

The week long operation involved regular Safer Roads Enforcement team deployments, Safer Roads Watch engagements, communications activity and much more.

The fatal five contribute to a substantial volume of serious and fatal collisions on the roads. In 2022 over 45% of all fatal collisions in Merseyside involved at least one of the fatal five as a contributory factor.

Operations such as this are vital in achieving Vision Zero and making our roads safer for everyone. Safe Speeds however do not only relate to the offence of ‘excess speed’, but also to the conditions where due care and consideration are fundamental necessities when decision making.

Understanding that the parameters of a road are governed by speed limits and these limits must not be breached is important, however drivers must recognise these are limits not targets, if the conditions of a road are unfit due to pedestrian activity, hazards, turns, whether or other factors, driving slower with increased caution is necessary to keep our roads safe.

Thank you to Merseyside Police and the local authorities for their support throughout this operation.

This April we are highlighting awareness of Safe Behaviours, one of the 5 key pillars outlined within the LCR Road Safety Strategy.

You will see content across our social media channels, highlighting the importance of Safe Behaviour, including our campaign to support Aprils Move More Month. Throughout this period we will be encouraging drivers to swap out their tyres for a good walk, getting those steps in to do our bit for the planet as well as our own wellbeing. We will be encouraging safe behaviours from pedestrians and cyclists, delivering educational messaging to students and children and dishing out resources such as High Vis strips.

We will be looking at Fitness to Drive and communicating key information to ensure you understand how to keep your loved ones safe on the roads.

Finally we will be covering the National Two Wheels Enforcement Operation at the end of the month.

Be Road Safe – #SafeBehaviour

Merseyside Police crowned winner of the Drivetech Police Vision Zero Awards 2022 with vulnerable drivers initiative

Leading road safety technology provider Drivetech, part of the AA, has crowned Merseyside Police the winner of the Drivetech Police Vision Zero Awards for 2022.

Merseyside Police’s Fitness to Drive scheme, introduced into the force to reduce collisions involving vulnerable drivers, works in partnership with the Bridgwater Community Healthcare Foundation Trust service Drive Ability North West. The initiative helps to support vulnerable drivers who have been involved in a collision or committed a careless driving offence and offers an alternative to prosecution.

Many vulnerable drivers, including older motorists, drivers of adapted vehicles and those affected by a medical condition, cannot attend traditionally run face-to-face driver education courses. Drive Ability North West identifies those who are safe to continue driving, who need further skills training, and those who are no longer safe to drive. The scheme is now being rolled out as a pilot across the North West Forces.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Merseyside Police,” said Nick Butler, Director at Drivetech. “We are delighted to honour their commitment to road safety with this award.”

“We are honoured to take home this award,” said Sergeant Garreth Berry, Merseyside Police. “Merseyside Police is committed to reducing those killed or seriously injured on the roads, and it is an honour to achieve recognition for our work in this area.

“We often refer drivers for courses as an educational and preventative measure following a collision. Until now, we have not had a bespoke course of centre available to refer different types of vulnerable road users to. I believe this will reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured in road traffic collisions across Merseyside.”

The initiative will also see the business donate £1,500 to nominated Drivetech charity RoadPeace and £1,500 to RoadSafe Northern Ireland.

The Drivetech Police Vision Zero Awards, now in their third year, celebrate road safety excellence across the UK’s police forces and/or road safety partnerships.

For more information about Drivetech, visit: www.drivetech.co.uk.