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)