Serious accident rate increase in North Wales
'Bikers are a growing concern' says Brunstrom report
DESPITE A number of campaigns aimed at reducing the serious accident rate in North Wales, latest police figures have revealed the total number of fatal and serious collisions went up by 27.9% between April and December last year, against the force target of a 4% reduction.
In a report to next Wednesday’s meeting of the North Wales Police Authority's performance review committee, Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom says accidents on the region’s roads are an issue of growing concern.
He says there is particular concern at the statistics involving motorcyclists, pedal cyclists and pedestrians. Twelve motorcyclists were killed from April to December 2007, compared to eight the previous year and 66 seriously injured.
"The scientific evidence shows very clearly that speeding, drink driving and failure to wear seat belts are in fact the biggest cause of death, and that national programmes designed to tackle them work," wrote Mr Brunstrom in his blog.
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I'm getting really tired of this... whenever figures go down it's the Government's doing, when they go up it's our fault. More pedestrians get killed, it's drivers/riders fault, less get killed it's thanks to speed cameras. The hypocrisy is beyond a joke.
Posted: 03/03/2008 15:28
The speed (death squares) humps are on the way. On the A605 Thrapston to P'boro they have put signs up saying 23 casualties in 3 years. With Think Bike signs. A483 Newtown to Llandridnod Wells +A44 to Aber 105 in 2006. Makes one think.
Posted: 03/03/2008 15:44
We've just had those signs up round our way, 10314 deaths in 12 minutes. 14 million injuries in an hour, bloody rediculous, what are the goverment doing about this????
Posted: 03/03/2008 18:36
(A483 Newtown to Llandridnod Wells +A44 to Aber 105 in 2006.) But what a stongking great bit of road though. you can see why so many get it wrong there, the road sucks you in.
Posted: 03/03/2008 19:18
We've just had those signs up round our way, 10314 deaths in 12 minutes. 14 million injuries in an hour, bloody rediculous, what are the goverment doing about this????
at least the roads will be quiet for you this week
Posted: 03/03/2008 19:19
A483 Newtown to Llandridnod Wells? only been as far a brecon! looks like a great road , might give it a go some time!!
Posted: 03/03/2008 19:25
only been as far a brecon! looks like a great road , might give it a go some time!! That part is only about 25miles long but well worth doing both ways as a detour. sorry pete, went off topic then. was having fond memories......
Posted: 03/03/2008 19:42
It's not a suprise that there are alot of bike crashes in north wales. There are alot of bikes riding on the great roads, I know, I'm one of them. These resources used chasing bikers around here should be used catching criminals. It's our choise to ride - and crash...
Posted: 03/03/2008 20:18
We've just had those signs up round our way, 10314 deaths in 12 minutes. 14 million injuries in an hour, bloody rediculous, what are the goverment doing about this????
yep, Know what ya mean, is that the chester high road by any chance?
Posted: 03/03/2008 20:34
I knew one of the people who died and considering that the accident was caused by an unlit tractor/trailer at night, i fail to see its the riders fault. The problem is Almighty Dutch, people do listen. God knows why 
Posted: 03/03/2008 21:34
you can see why so many get it wrong there, the road sucks you in Learning how to go around corners and come out the other side isn't an option, then?
Posted: 04/03/2008 09:20
I knew one of the people who died and considering that the accident was caused by an unlit tractor/trailer at night, i fail to see its the riders fault. The problem is Almighty Dutch, people do listen. God knows why
It may not be totally the riders fault, but who knows had he/she been more aware and possibly travelling slower he may have seen the unlit tractor in time to react and avoid a collision..
Its not just about being right, its about arriving alive.. If there is such a high proportion of fatal accidents involving motorcyxcles the authorites are going to look at the commonest denominating factor...which is going to be the presence of a motorcycle..and that is why Chief constables feel the need to both target bikes and to provide support and training for bikers ( Bikesafe /edge44 etc etc) The speed cameras are NOT there just to catch bikes..they target all speeding vehicles...
Posted: 04/03/2008 09:51
loads of signs have been put up along a stretch of road by me. There are also plans for two speed cameras aswell. Reason? Two deaths in three years. What the authorities 'forget' to mention is the cause of deaths. The first was a cyclist hit by a car - well it's a busy roads, used by many cyclists and no cycle lane. The other was an old dear blown into the road after getting off the bus. Seens as the speed limit is 60mph I'm not suprised she was killed. Are these valid enough reason to spend god-knows how much on speed cameras and signs?
Posted: 04/03/2008 12:17
Well it's obvious speed cameras haven't worked otherwise casualties would have reduced, so what now. Does Mr Blunstrom sit down with road engineers to see if there is a problem with road hazards eg roadside furniture, badly placed road signs. Or does he sit down with the council to see if the condition of the roads are up to scratch- no potholes etc. Or does he sit down with bike schools to meet where bikers meet and get them to give advice on riding the roads safely? No thought not; probably going to buy another camera. Pity he didn't jump of that bloody roof
Posted: 04/03/2008 14:53
I'll tell you what lads, instead of promoting Roadsafety and putting more Police Officers on the street, I'll start a new training scheme, in addition to the Bikesafe I already run. Tell you what, I'll get all the newspapers on board for free advertising and guess what, charge you commercial rates for the training. £200 per day - 1 per instructor - £150 Per day - 2 per instructor - £100 Per day - 3 per instructor
Posted: 04/03/2008 15:20
Well it's obvious speed cameras haven't worked otherwise casualties would have reduced, so what now. Does Mr Blunstrom sit down with road engineers to see if there is a problem with road hazards eg roadside furniture, badly placed road signs. Or does he sit down with the council to see if the condition of the roads are up to scratch- no potholes etc. Or does he sit down with bike schools to meet where bikers meet and get them to give advice on riding the roads safely? No thought not; probably going to buy another camera. Pity he didn't jump of that bloody roof
How much would you be willing to bet that a member of his senior RPU staff doesn't do each and every one of the things you suggest??
the fact that dealing with roadplanners and councils doesn't make good copy in the MCN doesn't mean that it isn't being done...
Posted: 04/03/2008 16:02
Well Gedge if, as you seem to be suggesting, this is being done why aren't we seeing the results of it, not only in North Wales but UK wide, or is it only a misconception that our roads, and certainly our B-Roads, have deteriotated to dangerous levels? If these meetings are taking place do they (and please excuse my ignorance if they do) include taking advice from biking organisations to give our point of view rather than that of the car driver.
Posted: 04/03/2008 16:36
Meetings..... I get a number of e-mails all advertising Road Safety Forums, get togethers etc. I always think that's nice until I see the cost. How do they expect to attract the grassroots riders when they charge £1400.00 for such an event just to attend. That was a special offer (£400.00) off. Needless to say I did not bother going.
Posted: 04/03/2008 16:47
Well Gedge if, as you seem to be suggesting, this is being done why aren't we seeing the results of it, not only in North Wales but UK wide, or is it only a misconception that our roads, and certainly our B-Roads, have deteriotated to dangerous levels? If these meetings are taking place do they (and please excuse my ignorance if they do) include taking advice from biking organisations to give our point of view rather than that of the car driver.
Probably because it costs about 40k to supply a mobile camera van and operator for opne year whereas realigning a junction can cost 10 times as much..also the police have funding for enforcement, whereas road repairs and modifications are down the Highways authorities who have limited budgets etc...
The police ( generally not just N/wales) consult widely with various groups of specialist interest, and as I have said before that includes some bike related groups..but bikes are a V/small minority and car drivers and non drivers outnumber bikes by a considerable margin..which is why their opinions become the majority view...go to any council /public meeting and you wont hear many bikers calling for changes/higher limits /improvements....what you will hear is calls for lower limits and more enforcement..and until this changes that is what we will get
Posted: 04/03/2008 16:48
Meetings..... I get a number of e-mails all advertising Road Safety Forums, get togethers etc. I always think that's nice until I see the cost. How do they expect to attract the grassroots riders when they charge £1400.00 for such an event just to attend. That was a special offer (£400.00) off. Needless to say I did not bother going.
The ones I have seen are either free or have been less than £250 ..so don't know what ones you are referring to??
Plenty of free opportunities to make yourself heard if you can change your diary from visiting the local bike meet to attending the local council chamber
Posted: 04/03/2008 16:50
Chief con B. Is just a nutter , our roads could be 100% safe with no death or accidents,0 casalties,0 congestion. He will just find something else to focus on......"Little old ladies look horrible, with their wrinkled old skin and out of fashion coats. They should be banned!"....and so on. Like I said NUTTER!
Posted: 04/03/2008 16:51
Bigots in power with all the information are a menace -they choose to give us their facts. We are all against needless loss of life but how can you correlate bikers with cyclists; the info has to be broken down more accurately - how many accidents due to the car not seeing the biker, or drink drivers hitting the biker. And as for his comment on seatbelts - lordy
Out of interest, do you have any 'different' facts???
AFAIK Brunstrom doesn't make the stats up.....and its a well documented fact that Motorcyclists are more likely to die in road accidents than car drivers..I would suspect ( from a position of some knowledge on the subject) that his comments about failure to wear seatbelts being a factor in many fatal car accidents to absolutely spot on Of course having attended many accidents my judgement on the matter may well be flawed perhaps you have some statistics that show differently
Posted: 04/03/2008 17:44
Whilst I feel genuinely sorry for the families of anyone killed on a motorcycle on our roads we choose to ride and does the difference between 8 deaths and 12 deaths really change the world? Like I said we choose to ride and it's VERY rare for a motorcyclist to take anyone with them. Of those 12 were any innocent bystanders or even pillion so BACK OFF and let us ride. Don't you dare wrap me in cotton wool. I choose life even if it kills me!
Posted: 04/03/2008 18:02
Whilst I feel genuinely sorry for the families of anyone killed on a motorcycle on our roads we choose to ride and does the difference between 8 deaths and 12 deaths really change the world? Like I said we choose to ride and it's VERY rare for a motorcyclist to take anyone with them. Of those 12 were any innocent bystanders or even pillion so BACK OFF and let us ride. Don't you dare wrap me in cotton wool. I choose life even if it kills me!
North wales is one of 45 Forces in the uk...Multiply that figure by the 4 extra deaths and you get an EXTRA 180 deaths..thats nearly a plane full...( and in among those figures there WILL be quite a few 'innocents')..
Of course they aren't all blameworthy upon the motorcyclist , but the bike is the common denominator and that is why there will be a focus on Bikes/riders and everything associated with them.. Freedom of choice is one thing, but the Government is not going to just sit there and ignore such numbers..Bikers have shown themselves (to at least some considerable degree) incapable of self regulation or improvement and so Governement intervention is inevitable... There is plenty of other stuff the Gov't can do and ( surprisingly to some) is doing ..but the idea that bikers will be seen as innocent victims is ridiculous, as is the 'they're picking on us mentality'.. As annoying as it is, the best answer ( IMO) is for bikers to be more conformist, ride quieter and in a more socially aware style....if the numbers come down, the government will get bored and move onto a newer target
Posted: 04/03/2008 19:07
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