Police, air ambulance, fire, councils, fleets, children, horses everyone’s involved

Project EDWARD – Every Day Without A Road Death – will be sweeping through England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland this year with a week-long series of events to promote road safety between 13 and 17 September. Project EDWARD is backed by government, the emergency services, highways agencies, road safety organisations and British businesses and promotes an evidence-led, ‘safe system’ approach – the long-term objective of which is a road traffic system free from death and serious injury.

What’s going on, where?

Three Kia Soul evs take part in a green challenge to cover the country using the smallest charge – with live updates

They will set off from Dundee, Plymouth and Cambridgeshire to The Midlands

Drivers will showcase the best examples of safe road planning, post-crash response, design and engineering

Police forces across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland take part in first National Safe Speeds Day 15 September

Fire services, air ambulances and road safety partnerships demonstrate new advances in post-crash care

Kent and Cambridgeshire County Councils sign up to the “Safe System” aiming for zero road deaths

South Queensferry traffic control operations room shows it’s the nerve centre of Scotland’s road traffic network

In Exeter, Devon, a convoy of emergency service vehicles will accompany the Project EDWARD vehicle and results from the Air Ambulance’s recent life-saving missions will be shared

In the New Forest, the crew will briefly swap four wheels for four legs as they consider the safety of horses and riders

Sussex, where police officers will be on hand to talk about Operation Close Pass – an initiative to promote safety for cyclists and other vulnerable road users

The team will engage with Community Speed Watch groups and visiting depots of large transport fleets including Waitrose and Royal Mail.

International VIP day in Kent demonstrates the newest, safest technology in cars, vans and hgvs*

What else?

Monday 13 September

Marsh Mills in Plymouth Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall, will formally launch the three road trips

Dundee “Go Safe With Ziggy – a Road Safety Scotland event aimed at children

A police operation in Ely, Cambridgeshire

Tuesday 14 September

Broadcast from Scottish Fire and Rescue HQ, Glasgow

Cambuslang, at the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service HQ for a Vision Zero event, with a casualty extrication demonstration

Rutherglen Looking at one of the first Average Speed Check sites to be set up on a local road in Scotland

Plumpton College near Brighton

Leatherhead: visiting the DVLA at Junction 9 M25

Operation Tramline activity on the M4, Wiltshire to highlight and prevent examples of unsafe driver behaviour such as non-wearing of seatbelts, drivers on the phone – and meeting the Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner

A ‘Close Pass’ safety event in Sussex on sharing the roads with cyclists

Examples from Avon and Somerset of how dash cam footage is collected and used to help keep cyclists and horse riders safe

Broadcast from Safer Roads Essex Partnership in Chelmsford

Cleveland: The launch of Community Speed Watch by Cleveland Police, with new equipment funded by speed awareness course attendances. Talking to the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for the area. Also looking at a demonstration of post-crash response by Fire and Rescue teams

Swindon: Badbury Weighbridge

Eastleigh: Hampshire Fire and Rescue emergency services giving extrication demonstrations

Romsey: Royal Mail depot looking at safe driving for work

Wednesday 15 September

First ever 24-hour National Safe Speeds Day – Police activity across the UK to highlight the human cost of excessive speed

Spending time with Lincolnshire Police for updates on Safe Speeds Day

Brockenhurst in the New Forest focusing on speed and horses with a team from Hampshire Police on their part in Safe Speeds Day and to discuss initiatives designed to protect people and animals in the New Forest

Manston in Kent: Vision Zero launch attended by HRH Prince Michael of Kent and Roads Minister Baroness Vere. This is multi-agency approach to reduce deaths and serious injuries on the county’s roads, with vehicle demos

Cobham services M25 for vehicle recharge

Bracknell at Waitrose distribution depot looking at some great examples of safer driving for work

Gloucestershire to view community speed enforcement activity

Thursday 16 September

Nottingham city centre, looking at road enforcement activity in response to locally-highlighted concerns

Leominster in Herefordshire for the start of a ‘Dying to Drive’ event organised by Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue

St Brides Major near Bridgend

Port Abraham Services, Swansea at the western end of the M4 to meet two Police and Crime Commissioners: Alun Michael from South Wales and Dafydd Llywelyn from Dyfed-Powys

Warwickshire – Leek Wooton an operation led by Warwickshire Police

Virtual reality action from Openreach in Stafford

Operation Safer Junction at Parkfield Road in Wolverhampton

Friday 17 September

The three vehicles will finish in Kenilworth in Warwickshire for the final event of the week, aimed at organisations in the transport and infrastructure sectors

Broadcast will be linking live to fire and rescue experts at the National Extrication Challenge in Newcastle

Project EDWARD founder and organiser, James Luckhurst says: “This is just a summary of the many events we have around the country. We welcome members of the public to look in at our events and cheer on our three drivers, and we welcome media to film and report.”

Project EDWARD this year is managed by roadsafe in partnership with Driving for Better Business, a government-backed programme to help employers in the private and public sectors reduce work-related road risk, protecting staff who drive or ride for work, and others who they may share the road with.

Adrian Walsh, Director of roadsafe, says: “Project EDWARD is about all road users, road authorities and emergency services joining forces with the aim of zero road deaths.

“Our road trips will be stopping at multiple locations each day to share exciting content, knowledge, interviews and stories all linked to keeping those who drive for work safe.

“We will be looking at Safer Drivers, Safer Vehicles, Safer Journeys and Driver Wellbeing as well as how best to manage those who drive for work in order to reduce risk, control costs and improve efficiency. Our aim is to provide a platform that showcases some of the best work being done around the country.”

Financial support has been provided this year by Westcotec Ltd, GEM Motoring Assist, drivetech Ltd, HCC Solicitors, Jenoptik, Carnell and D.tec International. Full details of events, activity, resources, supporters and sponsors can be found on the Project EDWARD website www.projectedward.org and via #projectedward on social media

*VIP Fleet Safety Vehicle Demonstration
Kent County Council is launching its ambitious “Vision Zero” road safety strategy aiming for zero fatalities on the county’s roads by 2050. HRH Prince Michael of Kent, the patron for Towards Zero Foundation, will speak at a press conference (10am to 11.45am) alongside Baroness Vere, Minister for Roads. The event will feature demonstrations of vehicle safety technologies such as Autonomous Emergency Braking which have great potential to help commercial vehicles including vans, buses and hgvs avoid collisions.

The event will highlight the gaps between car and van safety – a major theme for the organisers, roadsafe and Driving for Better Business. While new cars must be fitted with this equipment, there is no such legislation for vans, leading to a lack of market competition in this area.

*Article Source http://www.roadsafe.com