The Safer Essex Roads Partnership responds to Covid19
This unprecedented global situation is both unsettling and challenging. You will undoubtedly have received many information and news bulletins from many different organisations during this time.
This statement explains how the Safer Essex Roads Partnership is adapting to support the national effort in stopping the virus.
Police activity including enforcement
Our Essex Police partner must ensure that core policing is maintained whilst ensuring the safety of all employees and members of the public. However, policing our roads including speed enforcement will continue, so we urge everyone who has to use the roads to remember that you have even greater responsibility at this time to share the road space safely, look out for others and avoid putting demand on the NHS.
Educational courses
The National Driver Offender Retraining Courses (NDORS) will continue to be available in Essex for those caught speeding but will be delivered in a different way to ensure the protection of all clients. As of Wednesday, April 2, we are now delighted to announce that we are trialling iNSAC – an online version of the National Speed Awareness Course. We are busy working on making other NDORS courses available online and ask clients to contact interventions@essex.gov.uk with any queries they have.
Unfortunately, all practical courses such as our hugely popular free Driving with Confidence course for those over 70 years of age have been suspended but will be up and running as soon as permitted. If there is a long period of time since you have last driven, you may find this course a very useful refresher.
Road safety education in schools
Sadly too, with the closure of the schools and social distancing rules, we know there will be around 3,150 children who would have been looking forward to Bikeability training. We will endeavour to rebook with schools and to run more Bikeability courses during the school holidays. For safety advice please visit https://bikeability.org.uk/.
Ordinarily during this time we’d be in contact with 23,000 school students, of all ages. In the absence of this we have developed a fun and interactive online training session for those looking after children to do so that neither miss out on this important road safety training. At a time when many of us are looking for ways to educate and engage our children, we believe this to be an exciting and valuable tool.
We’ll be populating our website and social media channels (search @saferessexroads) with easy-to-access content so please don’t miss out on our online road safety world.
Whilst you have time at home with your children there is a great opportunity for you to pass on your positive attitude and behaviours to them by talking about taking care of others, particularly the old and vulnerable and in keeping a safe distance. Keeping a safe distance on the road is always good advice and whilst the government reminds us to stay two metres apart from others in the street, we’re reminding you that you should always stay two seconds apart from the vehicle in front.
FireBike motorcycle training courses
Our fire service partner is also prioritising its emergency response function and its FireBike motorcycle training Courses have been suspended at present in line with government guidance. Each year SERP saves lives by providing advanced level training to over 350 riders and by engaging with thousands of riders at events and meets. The biking season will be much shorter for everyone this year but please, at this time more than at any other, please only use your motorcycle for essential journeys.
Thank you to our ambulance partners
Our ambulance and air ambulance partners are, understandably busier than ever. We are enormously proud of them for the amazing and selfless work they do, particularly in these very challenging times.
We remain passionate about road safety and we urge everyone to listen to the government’s advice. Stay home, stay safe and save lives.
2 April 2020