Essex support for Project EDWARD

More than 20 Community Speedwatch events took place across Essex last Thursday – as part of a European-wide initiative to improve road safety.

Project EDWARD (European Day Without A Road Death) is an awareness-raising initiative which spreads simple safety messages, helping road users to play their part in working towards zero road deaths.

Project EDWARD was founded by TISPOL in 2016, in response to figures which show an average of 70 people are killed on roads across Europe each day.

The 2019 edition of Project EDWARD took place on 26 September – with the message: “however we use the roads, we are all more vulnerable than we think we are”.

To mark the day in Essex, 23 Community Speedwatch events took place across the county.

Community Speed Watch is a traffic monitoring scheme, coordinated by the Essex Fire and Rescue Service (EPCRS) and supported by the Safer Essex Roads Partnership (SERP), but managed and run by volunteers in the community.

By increasing the existing methods of education and recruiting and involving local volunteers, Community Speed Watch benefits the communities themselves by helping to reduce anti-social behaviour and the number of injuries from road traffic collisions.

Other activities included a Surround a Town event in Hastingwood .

Surround a Town sees resources focussed on a tight geographical area, often where there are high rates of collisions and casualties.

The initiative uses a combination of enforcement and engagement to highlight the importance of safe and legal driving.

Meanwhile, schools across the county took part in a host of road safety initiatives, including: scooter training, School Speedwatch, Bikeability training and presentations from road safety ambassadors.

Pupils also designed Project EDWARD posters (pictured).

01 October 2019