Deputy Mayor to attend road safety event

On Friday 22nd, Deputy Mayor Jo Coles will be meeting with the York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership, a group of local authorities, emergency services and other agencies, to learn about the work being done to make our roads safer and the support services available to victims and their loved ones. This will be crucial to understanding what else we could be done to improve road safety in York and North Yorkshire going forward. 

The event will be held in Easingwold, at the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Training Centre, and will involve a range of guest speakers outlining the challenges and opportunities for improving outcomes for all road users in York and North Yorkshire, as well as review of the partnership work over the course of the past year. 

The first stage of a review on road safety enforcement has now been completed, looking also at the efficacy of average and fixed cameras where they had been introduced in other regions, and has identified that the current enforcement approach in York and North Yorkshire using Safety Camera Vans is having a positive impact on casualty reduction.  

Mayor David Skaith and Deputy Mayor Jo Coles are currently in the process of developing their Police and Fire plans, which will set the strategic direction of North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue for the next four years, following the successful conclusion of a region-wide public consultation.  

 

Jo Coles, York and North Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime said:  

Road safety is hugely important for many communities across York and North Yorkshire, as well as Mayor and myself. We know that having safe and convenient transport is key to delivering healthy, thriving communities and a strong regional economy.”

The York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership is commissioning a review to explore the costs and effectiveness of average and/or fixed speed cameras. This study will be completed in the first quarter of 2025.

Ours is a large and diverse region with an extensive road network and it wouldn’t be sensible to apply one rule to the whole region.

I am looking forward to examining the study’s findings with local partners and representatives to ensure we have a system that works for all our communities.

 

Thomas Hirst, Area Manager, Director of Capabilities, Community Risk and Resilience said:

Sadly, 49 people lost their lives on our roads last year. This is a devastating loss and has a long lasting impact on families, friends, communities and the attendees who provide support and care at these incidents. Our Road Safety Partnership brings a range of organisations together, to help keep more people safer on our roads.  

We do this through education and engagement which is led by the Fire and Rescue Service and the Deputy Mayor’s Office, road engineering which is led by our Local Authorities, and by enforcement which is led by North Yorkshire Police.

At today’s event, we want to share the road safety activities that have been undertaken over the last year and demonstrate the resources that we have available as a group. We will have representation and speakers from some of the key organisations that help support road safety at a national and regional level.

We will also be exploring both the challenges and opportunities we face as a partnership as we continue to work together to help keep more people safe on the roads of York and North Yorkshire.

 

For advice on reporting speeding concerns, the public can visit: https://www.northyorkshire-pfcc.gov.uk/how-can-we-help/common-problems/speeding/