This week is National Bike Week and Warwickshire County Council is supporting Road Safety GB’s ‘Take Extra Care’ campaign, which urges all road users to continue to protect the emergency serv...
This week is National Bike Week and Warwickshire County Council is supporting Road Safety GB’s ‘Take Extra Care’ campaign, which urges all road users to continue to protect the emergency services by staying alert and travelling safety during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Throughout the week, Road Safety Warwickshire will be sharing safe cycling messages and animations via their Twitter account @RoadSafetyWarks and reminding children to take extra care on their bikes, offering them some good advice before they set out.
The Government’s roadmap out of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions encourages people to travel to their place of work if they are unable to work from home, and schools have reopened for some primary aged pupils.
Restrictions on exercising have also been eased, with people now allowed to exercise outdoors as often as they wish ~ and they can travel to do so.
Road Safety Warwickshire have produced a cycle advice video for children in collaboration with Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service.
With the help of the Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service Bike team, Road Safety Officer Kate Castle recruited fire officers to help demonstrate the simple ABC bike check and how to correctly wear a cycle helmet.
The number of journeys being made on Warwickshire roads has increased and all road are being reminded of the need to ‘stay alert’ as traffic volumes increase.
Road Safety Officer, Kate Castle, who normally visits schools at this time of the year, said: “The Warwickshire Road Safety Education Team is committed to ensuring children have the skills and knowledge to make the safest choices.
“We recognise that children are particularly vulnerable when cycling, especially as traffic begins to increase again, and feel it is even more important for children to always wear a correctly fitted cycle helmet and check the safety of their bicycle with the 'ABC Quick Check' prior to every journey."
Moreno Francioso from Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “It’s essential that children and young people know how to stay as safe as possible on our roads and we are really pleased to be able to support the Road Safety Team to help achieve this.
“Our Bike Team always check their bikes before going out and always wear a cycle helmet. As a fire and rescue service, we know only too well the dangers of not wearing a correctly fitted cycle helmet and the devastation caused when accidents arise and people are injured, especially those not wearing a helmet.”
Through its ‘Safer Travel’ campaign, the Government is encouraging people to continue to use active travel modes – primarily walking and cycling – wherever possible.
Road Safety Warwickshire will be tweeting the ROSPA cycling guide for adults throughout National Bike Week.
The core message at a national level from Road Safety GB and at a county level from Road Safety Warwickshire is for residents to do everything they can to avoid collisions and causalities, in turn allowing the emergency services to focus their effort on Covid-19 patients.
Councillor Andy Crump, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Fire and Rescue and Community Safety, said:
“I’m pleased that Road Safety Warwickshire are working with Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service to share safe cycling messages with children and adults during National Bike Week.
“Whether you are a cyclist, pedestrian, rider or driver, we all need to ‘stay alert’ as the number of journeys being made on our roads increases.
“We can all play our part in easing the pressure on the NHS and our emergency services over the coming months by taking additional care on each trip we make.”
For further information visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/roadsafetyparents or https://bikeability.org.uk/bikeability-training/
#takeextracare