09/11/2020
Dates For Pass Plus Cymru Courses
Pass Plus Cymru courses are currently available in the following areas:
Newport City Council
14 November 2020
25 February 2021
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council
1 December 2020
26 January 2021
2 March 2021
06/11/2020
Operation Drive Insured
North Wales Police is supporting the national Operation Drive Insured campaign aimed at reducing the numbers of uninsured drivers using the region’s roads. During a week of enforcement action, officers across the country have been conducting an enhanced policing operation aimed at detecting and seizing uninsured vehicles.
The operation is co-ordinated by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) and partners, to help highlight the issue of uninsured driving. Each year in the UK over 130 people are killed and 26,000 are left injured in collisions caused by uninsured and untraced drivers, linking them to nearly one in every five road traffic collisions. This equates to one casualty every 20 minutes.
Since January 1st North Wales Police has seized 979 vehicles due to no insurance. Whilst statistics tell us that uninsured drivers cause more collisions, there is another consequence - higher premiums for other drivers.
02/11/2020
Safer Routes In The Community Consultation, Shotton, Flintshire
Flintshire County Council is seeking views on a number of Welsh Government funded highway schemes in Shotton.
In recent years, Flintshire County Council has received a number of concerns from residents and local members regarding both increasing levels of congestion and speed of traffic in the vicinity of both Ysgol Ty Fynnon and Ysgol Croes Atti. Particular concern was raised in relation to motorists ignoring the advisory speed limit of 20 mph in the immediate vicinity of the schools with many residents concerned for the safety of the children who use this route on a daily basis.
Many of the problems identified along the routes related to high levels of vehicle usage and associated congestion both in the immediate area of the schools and along a number of access routes to the school.
28/10/2020
Road Traffic Crashes Report – Public Health Wales
A new report published by Public Health Wales has looked in to the effects of the full Wales COVID-19 lockdown on road traffic crashes.
Between January and May 2020 the work identified a decrease of nearly 47 per cent in health service treatment of road traffic crash injuries compared with the same period in 2019.
Dr Sarah Jones, Consultant in Public Health said, “Unfortunately road traffic crashes are a consequence of transport and travel. At a time of significant change to our transport and travel behaviours we also saw that injuries sustained in road traffic crashes were almost halved.
23/10/2020
Unadopted Roads Taskforce
Written Statement: Response to the report and recommendations from the Unadopted Roads Taskforce - Ken Skates MS, Minister for Economy and Transport and North Wales.
Last year, I commissioned an expert Taskforce to identify the extent of the issues regarding unadopted roads in Wales and see what could be done to improve the situation.
Chaired by Huw Morgan of the WLGA and former Director of Sustainable Communities for Ceredigion Council, the Taskforce had a flexible membership of skilled practitioners and professionals. These included representatives from the Home Builders Federations and Federation of Master Builders, highway engineers, members of the County Surveyors Society (CSS) and planners from Planning Officers Society Wales (POSW). It investigated issues associated with all types of unadopted roads and the difficulties arising as a result of no clear ownership or accountability for maintenance.
21/10/2020
Looking Out For Vulnerable Road Users As The Clocks Change
With the clocks going back one hour this weekend and daylight hours growing shorter, Road Safety Wales is reminding road users to take extra care and remain vigilant when out and about in the dark.
The arrival of autumn often brings worsening weather and reduced visibility, increasing the risk of collisions, particularly involving vulnerable road users such as children, older people, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
Teresa Ciano, Chair of Road Safety Wales, called for extra vigilance as darker evenings begin, “Darkness creates more challenging conditions for road users. Motorists should drive considerately and reduce their speed to meet the traffic and weather conditions.
21/10/2020
Wales By Bike - Promoting CRASH Cards
At some point in your motorcycle riding life you may have an ‘unscheduled dismount’ or you may be with a rider who does. 'CRASH' is a set of easy to remember steps to keep you safe, as well as the unfortunate rider who has been involved in a collision.
One side of the card has the mnemonic 'CRASH'. The person making the 999 call is the most important person at the scene, because the information they give determines the response of the emergency services.
The card follows a similar set of questions universally used by ambulance service control centres, and focuses on safety, the location of the collision, and how serious it is. The other side includes information used by the ambulance service and hospital, including space to list any medication to which they are allergic, current medical history and the details of any medication they currently take.
19/10/2020
Using A Mobile Phone While Driving: Consultation On Changing The Law
The UK Government is now consulting on proposals that from 2021, drivers will be breaking the law if they pick up and use their mobile phones while driving.
A change in law would ban a hand-held mobile phone from being used in any capacity besides making contactless payments, for example, paying for food at a drive-through takeaway.
The development would reduce the number of reasons a driver can legally have for having a mobile phone in their hands, making it easier to secure a conviction.
15/10/2020
Active Travel Review and Public Consultation Agreed by RCTCBC Cabinet
An extensive public engagement exercise into Rhondda Cynon Taf’s future Active Travel plans has been agreed, as part of a review into the Council’s Integrated Network Map for submission to Welsh Government by the end of December 2021.
Cabinet members have considered the economic, health and environmental benefits of Active Travel, adding that increased investment is being made available to fund new provision and improve existing community walking/cycling routes.
The Council submitted its first Integrated Network Map to Welsh Government in November 2017, setting out local Active Travel aspirations for the next 15 years. It was developed through consultation with residents, businesses, community groups and organisations.
13/10/2020
Welsh Government To Give Councils Powers To Crack Down On Pavement Parking
Ministers are backing the recommendations of an independent expert group to give councils additional civil enforcement powers to fine problem parkers.
“The current law is not as clear as it could be", said Deputy Transport Minister, Lee Waters MS, who set up the taskforce.
“There is no specific offence of parking on pavements, and although the Police can enforce the existing criminal offence of causing ‘unnecessary obstruction of any part of the highway’, it is rarely enforced".