Date: 24 November 2007 11:16

CAMBRIDGESHIRE LEADS THE WAY IN MAKING ROAD SAFETY OUR BUSINESS

Businesses across Cambridgeshire are being given the chance to take part in 
a free and pioneering scheme that could save their staff's lives.

In the last two years (2005 and 2006) a shocking 19% of all drivers killed 
or seriously injured in Cambridgeshire were driving for work.

Now Cambridgeshire County Council Road Safety experts have successfully bid 
for nearly £100,000 of Government money to launch the scheme which will be 
the first of its kind in the country.

Cambridgeshire County Council's Road Safety Team are offering free places to 
employers on the 'Road Safety: We mean business! 'seminars to help companies 
formulate a work-related road safety policy, which is now a legal
requirement from Government.

Companies will then be able to submit their new policies for evaluation and 
have the chance to have them certified as being of a good standard.

'Road Safety: We Mean Business' seminars will help up to 400 businesses in 
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough improve the road safety of their 
organisation. Working alongside Peterborough City Council and RoadSafe, a 
leading forum linking road safety professionals and the motor industry, the 
seminars will present delegates with an outline of their legal position and 
responsibilities towards their employees during driving for work. In 
addition to understanding why they need a road safety policy, delegates will 
be given the opportunity to develop one for their company.

Work related road safety policies that are returned to the road safety team 
after the seminars will be evaluated and further advice given if necessary. 
Those that meet a certain standard will be offered "We Mean Business" 
certification for the company, to highlight the companies investment in road 
safety.

Cambridgeshire County Councillor Mac McGuire, Lead Member for Highways and 
Transport, and Chairman of the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Road Safety 
Partnership Board, said: "Reducing accidents on our roads is one of our 
toppriorities. This is a really good opportunity for businesses to take up 
this free offer that could save their employees lives. The fact that the 
Government has funded Cambridgeshire's bid to run this groundbreaking scheme 
shows how well regarded we are nationally."

Julie Spence, Chief Constable of Cambridgeshire Constabulary, supports the 
Road Safety: We Mean Business campaign. She said: "I am delighted to be 
supporting these events as the promotion of road safety is vital if we are
going to reduce the number of collisions on the county's roads. The 'Road 
Safety: We Mean Business' campaign is about ensuring all businesses have the 
required Work Related Road Safety policy in place. With this and the 
promotion of safer driving we can work towards reducing collisions in the 
county and thus reducing the number of casualties. I would encourage 
businesses to get involved in the scheme to learn more about how they can 
reduce the risk of their staff being involved in a collision."

Seminar places are free to any company within the Cambridgeshire and 
Peterborough area and there are spaces still available. To book your place 
on one of the seminars, contact the road safety team on 01480 375 015 or
email jenny.stannard@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

John Reynolds