WIREDGOV

CLA takes towing message to the country

HIGHWAYS AGENCY News Release (NWTOS 01/1207) issued by The Government News Network on 2 July 2008

PHOTO/BROADCAST OPPORTUNITY (see end of release for details)

Farmers, land owners and other countryside users in the North West are backing a Highways Agency safety campaign to promote safer towing and cut down on road accidents and congestion.

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has given an enthusiastic welcome to a new Highways Agency Driver Improvement Programme (DIP) based on safer towing and has now teamed up with the North West Traffic Officer Service to promote the initiative to its members across the North West.

There are around 43 fatalities and some 1400 injuries every year related to towing accidents and the Highways Agency's safer towing DVD Fit to Tow - which was launched in February - outlines the steps drivers can take to minimise accidents.

Issues such as weight distribution, checking the condition of trailers and tyres, recognising that towing takes up more fuel and other precautions are included in the general advice for towers given by presenter Carol Smillie.

But the Highways Agency is now developing more in-depth guidance for specialist groups of towers - including those in rural communities where insurance coverage, licence restrictions and the need to carry livestock in trailers are particular issues.

Roger Wright, The Highways Agency's Driver Improvement Programme Technical Adviser, said, "We are delighted to be working so closely with groups like the CLA as they are helping to spread important safety messages about towing on the country's motorways and major A roads.

"Farmers, land owners and other countryside users do have specific needs in terms of advice. Many, for example, will be towing livestock and we are giving advice on how to load trailers properly as well as taking steps to prevent problems in the event of a breakdown when animals can get upset and agitated.

"But there are also other issues such as the change in driving licence rules which means that anyone getting a licence after 1997 must have passed a towing test to be allowed to tow anything heavier than 1500kg on public roads.

"There is a lot of ignorance on this issue which could lead to insurance loss and prosecution. This is of particular interest to farmers as it may well restrict who from the farm can tow heavy trailers, horse trailers and so forth on a public road.

"We have a lot of rural communities in the North West and probably hundreds of farmers, particularly in Cheshire, Lancashire and Cumbria, using trailers taking stock to and back from market - often on a weekly basis."

The CLA's North West office is based near the Highways Agency's South Cumbria outstation at Millness just off Junction 36 of the M6. Locally, the CLA has been extremely enthusiastic about the safer towing DVD and has also been handing Highways Agency materials to the public at agricultural shows. Staff are now busy spreading the message across the CLA nationally.

Douglas Chalmers, Director CLA North, said, "We're delighted to be involved in this initiative. Of course we want to keep our members on the right side of the law, but let's not forget that this legislation is designed to reduce accidents and injuries, and to save lives."

Highways Agency Traffic Officers have a particular interest in safer towing. Accidents involving towed vehicles such as caravans or horseboxes can cause motorway chaos.

And on Friday (July 4), Traffic Officers from the South Cumbria outstation will be meeting CLA members to talk about the work they do to keep the country's motorway users on the move - as well as reinforcing the safer towing messages.

Ros Drew, Traffic Officer Team Manager at South Cumbria outstation, said, "Badly maintained or loaded trailers are at risk of breaking down or being involved in accidents - and that is bad news for the area's motorway users in terms of casualties and congestion.

"Having animals on the loose or debris scattered over the carriageway can cause lanes or a whole motorway or major A road to be closed for hours. We are delighted that the CLA is working with Traffic Officers in Cumbria to tackle this issue and get the safer towing message out to rural communities."

Further information is available at http://www.highways.gov.uk/dip

END

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 Traffic

2. The Traffic Officer Service in the North West reached full strength in summer 2006, with 200 Traffic Officers patrolling all motorways across the region with up to 19 two-person patrols per shift around the clock.

3. The North West includes key cross-county routes such as the M62, M56 and M6 and has more motorway miles than any other RCC region in the country.

4. The NW Regional Control Centre (RCC) is based just off Junction 23 the M6 at Newton-Le-Willows and is responsible for the M60 Outer Manchester ring road - one of the busiest in England.

5. The RCC is responsible for coordinating traffic officer activities across the region - monitoring conditions across the network from cameras and sensors.

6. On road Traffic Officers and supervisors are based at six 'outstations' across the network including Knutsford (Cheshire), Milnrow and Rob Lane (covering Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester), Samlesbury (Lancashire), Millness and Lowhurst (both Cumbria).

7. The 24/7 RCC is staffed by Traffic Officers and Police Liaison Officers.

8. 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).

9. 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

10. 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)