The ‘Travel Like You Know Them’ campaign draws attention to the recent changes in the Highway Code designed to increase the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.

The campaign encourages all road users, but particularly motorists, to take responsibility and undertake positive behaviours while on the road; giving space to and protecting those that are at a higher risk.

Launched on the 12th of July, the promotion follows the first phase of the THINK! campaign which began after the Highway Code’s new hierarchy of road users was implemented. According to a recent survey, 87% of people were aware of the changes.

Baroness Vere, Minister for Roads, Buses and Places, said: “People tend to see cycles, lorries and cars on the roads rather than thinking of the person using them – but it could be your family member, friend or colleague.

“We have some of the safest roads in the world but I am determined to make them even safer, particularly as more people choose to walk, cycle and ride for their journeys. This campaign encourages everyone to see the person behind the wheel or handlebars, to build more understanding of others on the road, and help keep everyone safe.”

The recent changes to the Highway Code include clarifying cycle positioning, emphasising the priority at junctions for pedestrians and cyclists, guidance on safe passing distances and speeds when overtaking, and on opening car doors.”

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The new rules are designed to encourage more pupils and parents to walk or cycle to Hotspur Primary School in Heaton. The pilot scheme will run for 18 months starting from the 13th of June, with the roads being closed between 8 – 9:30 am and 2 – 4 pm.

The School Streets scheme hopes to create more pedestrian and cycling zones around the school. However, vehicle access will still be available for local residents, school staff, emergency services and blue badge holders. The public will be able to offer feedback during the first six months of the trial, and if it’s successful, other schools could follow.

Kevin McVittie, headteacher at Hotspur Primary School, said: “The roads around [the school] can become very congested at the beginning and end of the day, so we really welcome the introduction of the School Streets scheme, as it means it will be much safer for our children and much better for local residents.

“The scheme also builds on the messages about healthy living that we give to children in school by further encouraging walking, cycling or scooting to school.”

Similar schemes were introduced in different areas of the UK earlier in the year. In January, two schools in Milton Keynes trialled closing nearby streets for a six month period, in a bid to improve safety and air quality by discouraging car journeys and encouraging walking or cycling.

Meanwhile, other schools are taking a different approach to combat dangerous driving practices. Cartoon cut-outs were placed outside the gates of a school in Plymouth to try and discourage drivers from illegally parking too close to the entrance.

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Motorists will be advised to avoid driving too close to the animals, which roam freely throughout New Forest in Hampshire, as well as Exmoor and Dartmoor in Devon.

The change was requested by The British Horse Society and is welcomed by campaigners in the New Forest who have long called for measures to help reduce animal road deaths. The council has also backed petitions for speed cameras to be installed to combat this issue in the national park.

The current advice in the Highway Code states that road users should slow down to 10mph while passing a horse on the road and leave at least a two-metre gap.

The latest regulation will be included following an 18-month review of the code, with the final version due to be finalised on the 29th of January 2022. The Department for Transport said: “We agreed such wild animals are more prevalent in those areas which warranted a specific mention”.

The new advice states “Feral or semi-feral ponies which are found in areas such as the New Forest, Exmoor or Dartmoor require the same consideration as ridden horses when approaching or passing”. 

Gilly Jones, of the New Forest Roads Awareness group, said she was “extremely pleased” at the addition to the Highway Code. “It’s certainly a first – it’s still about raising the awareness of feral and semi-feral ponies and it’s very positive what we can achieve with agencies working together.

“We’re still getting a horrific number of speeding drivers who lack a basic knowledge about driving in the forest”, she continued.

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The road casualties report, published by the Department for Transport, states that there were 1,472 fatalities in 2020, which is down from 1,752 in 2019. This means that deaths on our roads did decrease by 16%, but due to the lower levels of traffic, fatality rates actually rose.

Cyclists were among those worst affected, with the report showing a 40% increase in the number of deaths from 2019 to 2020. There was also a 46% rise in pedal cyclist traffic at this time though, meaning that the overall fatality rate dropped by 4%.

AA president Edmund King said: “Predictably, the pandemic has seen fatal and serious collisions drop by more than a fifth compared to last year, but tragically, more than 1,400 people were killed on the roads.

“If we are to achieve zero road deaths by the end of the decade, we must ensure this overall reduction is not a one-off.”

He also discussed the need for continued road safety campaigning, with the aim of reminding motorists to be cautious near cyclists. 

“It is staggering that with car traffic down to as little as 22% of pre-lockdown levels and the big increase in protected pop-up routes, the level of cyclist casualties was so high,” said King. “This points strongly to the need for better engineering, more education and more cops in cars to help eliminate road deaths.

“We will continue to push our Think Bikes! campaign so that drivers take more care around cyclists.”

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The campaign, which will run until Sunday the 13th of June, is encouraging you to fasten your seatbelts when travelling. The police’s message is clear: regardless of what vehicle motorists choose to drive, a seatbelt should be worn at all times.

This rule applies to everyone; whether you are driving a vehicle yourself or travelling as a passenger, you need to be fastened in. There are certain exceptions for wearing a seatbelt on a bus or coach, but if one is available to you, it is strongly advised that you always use it.

Unsurprisingly, there are countless dangers associated with not using a safety belt. Whereas, wearing one can significantly reduce and even prevent the risk of injuries occurring.

Superintendent Simon Bradshaw stated that: “Failing to wear a seatbelt is a significant factor in fatal and serious injury collisions and the evidence is clear that seatbelts save lives. This is why we take this matter so seriously.

“Police Scotland works closely with road safety partners to highlight the importance of wearing a seatbelt, however, we cannot do this alone, and would urge drivers and passengers to take responsibility and wear a seatbelt whilst the vehicle is in motion.

“We are keen to interact with drivers and passengers through education, but where necessary, enforcement action will be taken.”

It is hoped that this current campaign will provide an increase in seatbelt usage and reduce the number of both drivers and passengers taking risks on the roads.

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