Taking place today (October 19th) at Preston Bus Station, the theme for the national Project Edward campaign in 2022 and the week of action running 17-21 October has been changing minds, changing behaviour, with Lancashire’s event focusing on safe speeds.
The event brought together members of the Lancashire Road Safety Partnership, and wider stakeholders including the Lancashire Volunteer Partnership and Lancashire Victim Services.
The morning saw school children from St Andrew’s Primary School taking part in some interactive learning about community road watch and staying safe on the roads and other demonstrations, alongside a recovered vehicle and the chance to learn more about how the emergency services response to incidents on ours roads – and driving safely to minimise the risks.
Road safety affects everyone. Most of us use the roads every day, as drivers, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians, and for many people driving is the main part of their job. It is essential, therefore, to ensure that, as far as possible, we can all use the roads in safety.
In 2021 39 people died on Lancashire’s roads, with 926 seriously injured. In the first 6 months of 2022, 547 were either killed or seriously injured.
Project EDWARD is aiming for every day without a road death, together with Lancashire’s Road Safety Partnership who share the vision of zero road deaths.
Andy Pratt MBE, Chair of the Lancashire Road Safety Partnership and Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner said:
“It’s been great to bring together the members of the Lancashire Road Safety Partnership at this engagement event and visualise the number of organisations that are working together to keep people safe on the county’s roads and respond when incidents do occur.
“Targeting dangerous drivers is a police and crime plan priority and Project EDWARD is a great way of raising awareness of road safety and the work of the partnership so its fantastic to host the campaign and showcase some of what we are doing in Lancashire. We’re investing in new, often innovative ways to encourage safe driving and catch those who put the majority of safe drivers at risk. This includes enforcement through new average speed cameras, Op Snap allowing the public to submit dashcam footage and getting tough on drink and drug drivers.
“Both the Commissioner and I know that people want to see those driving at high speeds, or carelessly with no regard for others using our roads, stopped and challenged – Project EDWARD is a great opportunity to raise awareness of what we’re doing to make every road in Lancashire safer and save lives.”
