AQW 18696/11-15
Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim
Tabled Date: 21/01/2013
Answered On Date: 25/02/2013
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of the Environment what actions his Department is taking to reduce cycling casualties.
Answer:
The DOE has a statutory duty to promote road safety. One of the ways it raises awareness of road safety issues is through the Department’s road safety advertising campaigns. PSNI data shows that drivers are responsible for the majority of collisions and, as such, DOE continuously targets drivers to amend their driving behaviour, encouraging them to never ever drink and drive, to pay attention and to slow down. By changing the attitudes and behaviours of drivers, this is the most effective way of protecting all road users – cyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists, horse riders, passengers and drivers themselves. In October 2011 the Department launched the ‘Be Cycle Aware’ campaign, employing radio and bus rear advertising, in order to remind drivers and cyclists alike to pay attention when sharing the road. A radio advert targets drivers at the point of danger as they travel in the car during daytime hours when they would be expected to share the road with cyclists. A second radio advert and bus rear advertising targets cyclists, reminding them of their vulnerability and the need to pay attention and stay safe on the roads. Resources have specifically been directed towards the ‘Be Cycle Aware’ campaign and it is currently on air every month as part of the Department’s monthly road safety intervention radio activity throughout the year. This activity is in line with Action Measure 124 of the Road Safety Strategy 2020 - “We will give consideration to measures that improve the safety of cyclists; including what cyclists can do to keep themselves safe and what other road users can do”. In May 2012 I launched a campaign that encourages road users to ‘respect everyone’s journey’. Even though cyclists are not referred to specifically, it is anticipated that the messages to drivers are such that all vulnerable road user groups, including cyclists, will benefit from the safety messages contained within them. In September last year, I launched a campaign focusing on wider road user responsibility. This campaign urges all road users to behave appropriately and to take responsibility for their actions on the road. The opening scene of the advert addresses cyclist vulnerability by showing an injured cyclist in hospital saying “I was cycling in the bike lane. The driver said the sun was in his eyes.” This campaign highlights the fact that over 95% of road deaths and serious injuries are caused by human error and carries the strapline “Kill the Excuses. It’s no Accident”. In addition, a ‘Cycling Skills & Cycling Safety’ leaflet has been developed jointly by DOE and DRD to provide a basic guide for adult cyclists. The leaflet provides information on the benefits of cycling, advice on basic safety requirements for a cyclist, information on the rules of the road as they apply to cyclists and advice for cyclists on safe use of the road and on interacting with other users, both vehicular and pedestrian. The leaflet is being distributed widely across Northern Ireland. Currently all road users are provided with detailed guidance through the current edition of the Highway Code which contains rules, information and advice that helps prepare them for the demands of today’s roads. Advice on how drivers should treat vulnerable road users, including cyclists, with extra care and attention is covered specifically by Rules 204 to 218 of the Code. Advice for cyclists can be found under Rules 59-82. Furthermore, the Cycling Proficiency Scheme (CPS) is offered by the DOE Road Safety Education Officer Service (RSEOS) to every primary school in Northern Ireland. The decision to take up the offer lies with the individual schools, as does the decision on whether to include on road / off road training. Over 500 Primary Schools participate in the scheme each year with between 8,500 and 9,000 children benefiting from the scheme annually. A review of the CPS commenced in August 2012 and is due to be completed in March 2013. The CPS continues to be offered to all primary schools in Northern Ireland while the review is in progress and schools offering CPS are fully supported by DOE RSEOS.
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