Transport & Road Safety - DOPAG/DCC partnership
Over the past few years Derbyshire County Council, like many other Local Authorities, has been faced with financial challenges and the DOPAG membership offered to try, if at all possible, to ameliorate some of the likely impact. Amongst the areas likely to be examined for savings were those under control of `Public Transport and Environment services` - other services were considered and ideas put forward, but are but not addressed here. When I reported this at the last EMLLF meeting I was asked to provide more detail of what had transpired, which I hope the following will make clear.
The was the first, and actually the only, major Directorate to contact DOPAG to seek our help and explore possibilities and I, together with a fellow member from Heanor, met with their Assistant Director to see what was proposed. I should also say that for the past 3 or 4 years we have been trying to establish links with this team to talk about public transport issues without success. They had discovered (or been informed) that recent road traffic accident statistics showed an increased number of `older` individuals being involved in Road Accidents across Derbyshire. In response to questions it became apparent that the stats (actual % not available !) were perhaps unreliable as they did not make clear whether the `older` individuals were in fact drivers, passengers, pedestrians or other road users (cyclists for example); neither was it know whether they were residents or visitors to the County who were not familiar with local roads. Possible confusing multiplicity of signs/awkward junctions etc. was to be pursued by the Directorate as a separate issue.
It was agreed that DOPAG members might be able to assist with some form of driver education project and as the Road Safety Team had obtained an educational package to address this, a DOPAG meeting with additional driver participants from Forums, might form a useful trial before rolling out the idea further. This was therefore arranged for early December 2016 and was well attended.
On the day, participants were provided with background information, presented with reminders about `drink driving`, tests about alcohol strengths/volumes/effects (comparisons between spirits, beers, lager, wines) and basic information about drivers other responsibilities, medical/eyesight/mobility issues/seatbelts use and DVLA requirements such as thoughts about `why or when to stop driving`. A series of questions about these had been asked at the start (by means of handheld units), and was repeated afterwards to assess their retention – some improved knowledge was apparent
Remember we are all likely to be faced with this latter problem at some point and `supported` bus services may no longer be available.
Keith Glossop – March 2017
Janice Cooper, 30th March 2017