Another county council gets another wad of cash to start another biker safety campaign
STAFFORDSHIRE COUNTY Council is to launch a range of initiatives aimed at reducing motorcycle casualties in the Burton area.
Part of the county's £854,000, which makes up almost a quarter of the total £3.6 million injected each year into boosting road safety across Britain, will be dedicated to reducing the number of motorcyclists involved in accidents on the county's roads.
The funding, announced by Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick, is the biggest awarded to any county.
Staffordshire County Council has pledged a further £1.5 million for the campaign over the next two years.
Initiatives are to include:
Educating motorcyclists and drivers of other vehicles about the dangers faced by vulnerable road users;
Highways improvements including additional warning signs, carriageway alterations and skid resistance application;
Raising the profile of the Think Bike and Ride It Right safety campaigns;
Special information and advisory events including bikers' breakfasts;
Education for youngsters aged 15 to 18 about motorcycle safety;
Highlighting hazards such as mud and diesel spillages which can pose serious risks to bikers.
Les Dyble, traffic management officer for Staffordshire Police, (Officer Dyble - where've I heard that before? - Ed) said:
"Motorcyclists are extremely vulnerable road users and it is vital that everyone is aware of the dangers that they face. The extra funding will help us to get the road safety message out loud and clear to even more parts of the community than ever before."
