Road Safety initiatives (Ripon and Harrogate)

  Road Safety Partnership Working Ripon and Harrogate Area

Date: 1st May 2008

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS) in conjunction with North Yorkshire Police have been undertaking some road safety work within the Ripon and Harrogate areas. The aim of this work is to educate drivers and reduce deaths and injuries on the roads of the county.

During the week commencing 21st April NYFRS and North Yorkshire Police worked together within the areas of Arkendale and Sharow responding to concerns raised by local residents regarding excessive speeding by motorists through their respective villages.

On 23rd April 2008 following a request by North Yorkshire Police Traffic Management Team, the Fire and Rescue Service deployed a Community Safety Vehicle (CSV) with two speed matrix signs at either end of the village of Arkendale between 0800hrs and 1600hrs.

As a result of this work, an Operation Siren event is planned for the future to carry the Road Safety message to the County's drivers.

On 25th April 2008, (a designated no casualty day) an Operational Siren event took place at Sharow, Ripon. NYFRS sent a fire appliance and a Community Safety Vehicle and were supported by local Road Policing Group officers and Police Community Safety Officers. Drivers exceeding the speed limit were directed off the road by the Police towards the Fire Service, where personnel gave advice and education regarding the consequences of excessive speed, braking distances, and storing items within a car.

The event proved to be a success; feedback from motorists and the local community was that this joint initiative had a positive impact on driver behaviour.

On May 3rd, between 0800hrs and 1600hrs NYFRS are supporting "Operation Anvil" a road safety initiative led by North Yorkshire Police. During this period the Police will be carrying out enforcement on the County's major commuter routes and the Fire Service will be assisting by having a fire appliance at every service station on the A1 and A1(M) in North Yorkshire. Crews will be engaging with the public handing out leaflets and giving advice and education with regards to road safety. To reinforce this message a static display in the form of a crashed vehicle will also be present.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service's Station Manager for Ripon, Simon Render says "We hope that this highly visible joint approach will influence driver behaviour and reduce deaths and injuries on our roads. The community Safety vehicles have been really beneficial to us at these events, as they allow us contact with the public and the opportunity to educate drivers. We really value the joint working approach, and hope to conduct more events like this with the help of North Yorkshire Police in the future."

Sergeant Andrew Stow of North Yorkshire Police added "We are very grateful to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service for their continued support and look forward to building on our success with further joint initiatives aimed at reducing casualties and having a positive influence on driver behaviour".