People have the right to travel safely throughout our region, without the fear of being killed or seriously injured.

The sad truth is that our region continues to see far too many people killed or suffer serious, life-changing injury on our roads. These road collisions devastate lives, families, and communities.

Deaths and serious injuries on the road are neither acceptable nor inevitable – they are preventable.

As a result, too many people still feel that cycling on our roads or travelling on foot poses an unacceptable risk to their safety.

The strategy covers:

• VISION AND AIMS
• BACKGROUND
• THE MERSEYSIDE ROAD SAFETY PARTNERSHIP
• FUNDING AND DELIVERY
• VISION ZERO

To read the strategy in full, click here LCR Road Safety Strategy

RoadPeace will be holding a ceremony in remembrance of all road crash victims on what will be the 25th anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. The ceremony will take place on Wednesday 31st August at 2pm, with a Dove release at 2.45pm.

All road crash victims are to be remembered in this special ceremony, which will take place at the Lady Chapel, Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, St James Mount, Liverpool L1 7A.

RoadPeace North West, the road crash victims charity, is inviting those who have been bereaved or injured through road crashes, together with those who support them.

During the service, flowers will be laid in remembrance of loved ones who have died and photographs of them will be shown. A minute’s silence will be held during the ceremony.

The service will be attended by Supt Clare Jenkins and Police Cadets, the Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrel, dignitaries as well as families and friends of those killed and injured on our roads. Bootle MP Peter Dowd who lost his daughter in a road crash is due to speak.

After the service, five doves will be released in memory of loved ones, as each day five people die on the roads of this country. Following this there will be refreshments and the opportunity to talk to each other.

The remembrance takes place on the 25th anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in a road crash. Pauline Fielding, a trustee of RoadPeace and organiser of the event, believes remembrance plays a vital role in reminding society about the high number of victims and highlights the long term psychological impact on those bereaved or injured.
She said:

My son Andrew was killed in 1994 in a crash caused by a driver who did not stay at the scene and who was never traced. Since then I have campaigned for justice for him and to help reduce dangers on the road where he died, to help prevent others experiencing the loss of a loved one.

 

That day changed my life and that of so many others. I was helped practically and emotionally by RoadPeace. I urge all those bereaved or injured by road crashes, together with those who support them, to join us at the remembrance.

Click here to view the invitation

RoadPeace has a special helpline number 0845 450 0355 and more information about the organisation can be found on the website roadpeace.org

RoadPeace contact information for Editors/Media: For more information please contact the RoadPeace office: 0207 733 1603 or Pauline Fielding: 0151 342 6381 / 07703 357 504 or via email.

Summer Cycling Events in St Helens, Newton-le-Willows and Rainford

Come and have your bike checked and marked by the Road Safety Team and Partners at their FREE Cycling Event

What’s happening:

• Dr Bike session delivered by Bikeright mechanic
• Merseyside Police carrying out security bike marking
• Road Safety Team offering free helmet checks, information and advice
• Community Safety Team offering advice and free goodies to keep you safe
• FREE Adult Cycle Training (bikes and helmets provided)

TO BOOK:
To book a place for the FREE Adult Cycle Training please email: merseysideoffice@bikeright.co.uk stating which location you would prefer or telephone 0151 207 3140.

MORE INFO:
For more information, contact the Road Safety Team via email: roadsafety@sthelens.gov.uk or check out the council’s website/Twitter/Facebook feeds

Locations for the Summer Cycle Events:

Thursday 4th August
Rainford Village Hall, Church Rd, Rainford WA11 8HB

Tuesday 23rd August
Mesnes Park, Newton-le-Willows WA12 9TA

Wednesday 31st August
The Shining Light, Sutton Manor Primary, St Helens WA9 4AT

Thursday 1st September
Queens Park Leisure Centre, St Helens WA10 2LT

Communities from all over Merseyside are being celebrated for supporting an initiative to improve road safety where they live.

In support of the UK’s biggest road safety week (15-21 November), Merseyside Road Safety Partnership, along with road safety charity ‘Brake’, are shining the spotlight on road safety heroes.

Safer Roads Watch is an initiative from the Merseyside Road Safety Partnership that enables people who are concerned about speeding, anti-social road use and pavement obstruction to work with police and local authorities to address these issues and to raise awareness among drivers of the how they affect communities. People can become a police volunteer and be trained to operate speed watch operations with police, in which speeding drivers are sent a pack containing a letter advising them of their speeding and advice about how they can contribute to road safety in Merseyside.

Volunteer residents’ groups and school groups are supplied with materials to help them promote the scheme including wheelie bin stickers and ‘Pavement Parking’ cards which can be left on cars which obstruct pavements.

Paul Mountford from the Merseyside Road Safety Partnership said:

This is a great opportunity for communities to come together with police, local authorities and potentially local businesses to change the way in which their roads are used or misused. Speeding and anti-social driving are a significant problem for police and councils to deal with and cause concern for parents and the most vulnerable in society. Excessive and inappropriate speed are also factors in many collisions that result in serious injury and road death.

There are several community groups established in Merseyside, including Wirral, where there are over 30 residents either ‘signed up’ or in the process of becoming volunteers.

Chief Supt Zoe Thornton, Head of Local Policing in Merseyside said:

Speeding and anti-social driving are some of the most common complaints that our officers receive every week. Through Safer Roads Watch, we are enabling communities to help us to help them, a real partnership approach to a widespread problem. Merseyside Police will not tolerate those drivers who present a danger to other more vulnerable road users such as children and the elderly.  We  will enforce the speed limits on our residential roads and also welcome Safer Roads Watch which has the potential to influence drivers and change their behaviour without the associated penalties.

The individual volunteers are not the only road safety heroes being celebrated. Support is also being given to volunteer groups from businesses who provide support and promote it among their customers and staff.

Bev Raistrick, Regional Manager for DriveTech said:

DriveTech are delighted to be able to support the local communities of Merseyside by providing equipment to help them start up a new community speed watch scheme.  Road safety is at the heart of DriveTech and we feel that supporting our local community to keep our roads and community safe is the right thing to do.

The Safer Roads Watch scheme is looking to recruit more road safety hero volunteers. Contact MRSP@merseyside.police.uk to find out how to sign-up.

Show your support and take The Pledge

As part of our on-going commitment to reducing the number of deaths on our roads, we ask everyone to join us and ‘take the pledge’ to be safer and more responsible road users. Whether you’re a driver, cyclist, motorcyclist or pedestrian, we all must share the responsibility and do our bit to make our roads safer.

By signing up, you will show that you are prepared to put the safety of yourself and others first and that when you undertake a journey, you do so with consideration and respect for everyone.

Support

We’ll also keep you updated with the latest initiatives, engineering solutions and enforcement activities as we continue to work towards fewer road deaths each year. You can find these updates on our website and social media pages. We’re on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

It’s easy to support us and show your commitment. Simply read the following pledge and then fill in your details and click the button to receive a pledge certificate.

The Pledge

I will:

• Consider the safety of others when I drive, walk or cycle
• Drive at an appropriate speed (often slower than the speed limit) on the roads of Merseyside
• Respect the presence of other, more vulnerable road users
• Maintain a high driving standard to influence how others use the roads
• Carry out regular checks on my vehicle, including tyres to ensure that my vehicle is safe and roadworthy
• Through my actions, I will support the aims of the Merseyside Road Safety Partnership in making our roads safer for me, my family and others and reducing road casualties

Project EDWARD – September 13th to 17th 2021

Merseyside Road Safety Partnership is pleased to be supporting Project EDWARD (Every Day Without A Road Death) again this year.

We’re encouraging the people of Merseyside to be honest and ask themselves the question ‘am I fit for the road?’. Every day from September 13th to 17th we’ll be focusing on different types of road user, and what they need to do to be playing their part in keeping themselves and others safe.

Monday 13th – Cyclists
People that cycle in Merseyside are among the most vulnerable road users. We’re asking those that cycle to question:

• Can my clothing be seen in low light?
• Do I have working lights on my bike?
• Could I benefit from more training?
• Do I know the safest cycle routes?

We hope that by encouraging every kind of road user to take accountability for their actions we can create a safe environment for all kinds of travel.

Tuesday 14th – Pedestrians
Sadly, pedestrians in Merseyside often have to face difficult challenges when choosing to use the road on foot. We want them to stay as safe as possible.  We all have to ask ourselves:

• Can I be seen in low light in what I’m wearing?
• Do I always use crossings when they’re there?
• Do I ever cross behind buses?
• Do I know my highway code so I can tell who’s right of way it is?

Small changes are all part of being fit for the road and can make the crucial bit of difference.

Wednesday 15th – Drivers
People driving vehicles have the potential to cause the most damage on the road – that means they have the most important responsibilities. Every driver needs to ask themselves:

• When is my MOT due?
• Have I checked all the medicines I’m taking to make sure they’re safe to drive on?
• Is there a chance I’ll look at my phone while I’m driving if it’s in reach?
• When did I last have an eye test?

Road deaths are preventable: making sure that as drivers we’re fit for the road is critical.

Thursday 16th – Motorcyclists
Nationally, motorcyclists are at particularly high risk.  It’s incredibly important that people who choose to ride motorbikes do everything they can to protect themselves when they’re riding. Ask yourself:

• Do I wear clothing that will protect me in a collision?
• Could any medication I’m taking impact my riding abilities?
• Did I check my bike over this season?
• Should I be wearing glasses when I ride?

If you’re not 100% fit for the road, remember: if there’s any doubt, there’s no doubt. Don’t ride.

Friday 17th – E-scooter users
E-scooters are a new road user group this year.  Riders are vulnerable in collisions with vehicles as they are significantly more exposed. It’s critical that e-scooter riders ask themselves:

• How well do I know the highway code?
• Would I be safer wearing a helmet?
• Am I in a fit mental state to be riding? How many units of alcohol have I had?
• Is there an age limit on the scooter I’m hiring?

Hiring an e-scooter can be a great way to get around the city, but we all need to make sure we’re taking every precaution possible to stay safe.

Support us and Project EDWARD this September by challenging yourself and others with these questions and sharing them on social media.

We share the road. We share the responsibility.