Motorcyclists targeted in Easter road safety operation
A Welsh Government funded operation which aims to reduce the number of motorcycle-related deaths and serious injuries on Welsh roads over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend is taking place today, Monday 28 March 2016rsgvihnponkinPWAfcaqppfdpd0ddCheckRSWDataProtectionj
Operation Crafanc y Ddraig (Dragon’s Claw) will see roads policing officers from Wales’ four police forces join forces with GoSafe, Wales’ Safety Camera Partnership, to tackle anti-social road use, particularly anti-social riding, and promote casualty reduction on Bank Holiday Monday.
As part of the operation a mixture of marked and unmarked police and GoSafe vehicles will be placed along key sites across Wales using a variety of tactics including engagement, education and enforcement to help reduce road casualties and tackle dangerous and anti-social driving and riding.
It is being funded by the Welsh Government as part its Trunk Road Safety Review, and this operation focuses on the safety of motorcyclists, one of the high risk groups identified in the Road Safety Framework for Wales.
The Review put forward recommendations for improving safety and substantially reducing the number of casualties on Welsh roads and identified 280 trunk road sections where further measures would be introduced. These measures fell into three categories with each location earmarked for either speed limit changes and/or engineering measures, safety improvements as part of other existing programmes of work, or enforcements and education programmes to be delivered in consultation with the police – with Operation Crafanc y Ddraig falling into the latter category.
Economy, Science and Transport Minister, Edwina Hart said:
“Road traffic collisions happen every day with potentially tragic consequences, but almost all are entirely avoidable.
“Although Wales’ roads are amongst the safest in the world and we can be rightly proud of that there is still room for significant improvement but everyone has a responsibility for improving safety and playing their part.
“We want to improve safety and reduce the number of road traffic collision, particularly those which result in serious and fatal injuries, and this operation aims to do just that through a mixture of education and enforcement.”
Superintendent Rob Kirman, who has responsibility for the Operational Support Services which includes the Roads Policing Unit said:
“Nobody likes to have their skills challenged, but some riders do overrate their abilities on a bike with the mindset ‘nothing will ever happen to me.’ We have seen this on numerous occasions, particularly on bends and when overtaking.
“Reducing casualties remains one of our top priorities and Operation Craig y Ddraig is one of the many campaigns and initiatives that we run throughout the year targeting high-risk road users. It is not about alienating the motorcycling community – it is about education and enforcement. We will continue to target, with a view to prosecution, all those that ride or drive dangerously, at excess speed, overtake on solid white lines or commit any other road traffic offences. Please heed the warning.”