WIREDGOV

New agreement between Highways Agency and Caravan Club will boost the safer towing message

HIGHWAYS AGENCY News Release (HA 0809) issued by COI News Distribution Service. 19 February 2009

The Highways Agency and The Caravan Club have today joined forces to work more closely together to make travel on England's motorways and other major roads safer and easier.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed today (19 February 2009) by Graham Dalton, Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, and Trevor Watson, Director General of The Caravan Club. The MoU was signed at The Caravan Club stand during the National Boat Caravan and Outdoor Show at the National Exhibition Centre.

The Caravan Club has one million members who are already encouraged to make use of the Highways Agency's journey planning tools and live traffic information. Further developments of the service are planned as the two organisations forge closer ties.

The MoU establishes a Highways Agency account manager to provide a direct link with The Caravan Club, so both sides can communicate more effectively on a range of issues and share skills and knowledge on areas of mutual interest.

Highways Agency Chief Executive, Graham Dalton, said:

"We are delighted to confirm our strong working relationship with The Caravan Club. It reflects our desire to work more closely together with all road users to help them experience safer and more reliable journeys on our roads.

"We'll be working with The Caravan Club to promote the safe towing message to all road users, and looking at ways to improve the way we operate, such as research into the reasons behind incidents involving towing vehicles.

"Our live traffic information, available on the web, Traffic Radio and by phone, is already promoted by The Caravan Club and we are looking to develop this with specific information relevant to caravanners, such as warnings of high winds."

Trevor Watson, Director General of The Caravan Club, said:

"The Caravan Club welcomes this alliance with the Highways Agency. Caravanners are statistically safe drivers but we recognise that there is never cause for complacency where road safety is concerned. We are therefore keen to formalise our work with the Highways Agency to promote safer towing for all caravanners, and to reap the benefits of a major road network that delivers reliable journey times for them.

The Memorandum of Understanding is the next step in developing the relationship between the Highways Agency and The Caravan Club, after the two bodies worked together on the Highways Agency's "Fit to Tow' information package for trailer, caravan and horsebox drivers in 2007.

Notes To Editors

1. The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. We manage, maintain and improve England's motorways and major A roads on behalf of the Secretary of State.

2. More about the 'Fit to Tow' campaign, including a downloadable video, can be found on the Highways Agency website at: http://www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/16293.aspx

3. The Caravan Club is the largest touring organisation of its kind in Europe. With over half the UK caravanning population as members, it sits at the heart of UK caravanning and is the premier source of services and activities for one million caravan, motor caravan and trailer tent owners. For further information see http://www.caravanclub.co.uk. For press information call The Caravan Club Press Office on 01342 336664, or email press@caravanclub.co.uk.

4. The Caravan Club promotes the Highways Agency services in the 'Planning your Trip' area on its website at http://www.caravanclub.co.uk

5. Real-time traffic information for England's motorways and major A roads is now available:
From our new Traffic Radio service, available on DAB digital radio and the internet at http://www.trafficradio.org.uk To tune into the DAB service, simply press the "scan" button on your radio. The radio will tune into all available channels and you can select the new service by scrolling through the channels until you reach "Traffic Radio".
On the internet at http://www.highways.gov.uk/trafficinfo
By phone from the Highways Agency 24-hour voice activated phone service on 08700 660 115. (Calls from BT landlines to 0870 numbers will cost no more than 8p per minute; mobile calls usually cost more).

6. Before using a mobile, find a safe place to park. Never stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway except in an emergency. Make sure it's safe and legal before you call.

7. For more general information about the Highways Agency and its work, visit the Highways Agency website http://www.highways.gov.uk, or telephone the Highways Agency Information Line on 08457 50 40 30 at any time. (Calls to 0845 numbers cost no more than 3p/min from BT residential landlines. Call charges from other landlines and mobile networks may vary)

Issued by the Highways Agency National Press Office. Journalists requiring more information should call our 24 hour press office line on 0207 153 4824.