Child Friendly Warwickshire

Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership has announced that partners will be joining forces to deliver engagement events throughout the county.

As part of a month-long campaign to raise awareness and educate about driver and rider behaviour to improve road safety, this campaign is in support of Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel and the National Police Chief Council (NPCC) Two Wheel Campaign.

Warwickshire County Council, Warwickshire Police, and Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service will be taking a partnership approach to educating cyclists of all ages, drivers and riders about the importance of having the correct skills, knowledge and equipment to ride safely. Partners will come together to deliver practical sessions, information and advice through a planned programme of free events throughout March and April.

Warwickshire County Council’s Road Safety Education Team, along with their mascot Warwick Bear, will be touring libraries across the county, delivering interactive and engaging road safety education sessions to families and young children. Warwickshire County Council’s vision is to make Warwickshire the best it can be and, through these engagement events, encourage more families to travel safely and actively to help foster a healthier and happier Warwickshire. These family focussed sessions will provide essential skills, knowledge and equipment to help our families and young people walk, cycle and scoot safely.

The Road Safety Education Team are offering all Warwickshire primary schools a free digital assembly focussing on cycle safety as part of this campaign. This digital resource focusses on cycling safely, including route planning and information on conducting a bike safety check.

Warwickshire Police will be engaging with communities and members of the public at Warwickshire Country Parks, providing information, advice and signposting. Operation Close Pass will also be run during the campaign. Operation Close Pass is an initiative to reduce the number of accidents caused by drivers not giving enough space to people riding bikes, and sharing advice with vulnerable road users to help them ride safely, legally and responsibly.

Bike security markings, intended to deter theft, and hi-visibility items will be available to members of the public attending selected events.

Councillor Wallace Redford, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning at Warwickshire County Council, said: “In order to ensure that our roads are safe for all to use, it’s essential that we all take each and every step we can to keep our skills and knowledge up to date.

“Educating children about road safety must begin as early as possible and the interactive sessions taking place in libraries across Warwickshire will help to enable and encourage the younger generation to live happier and healthier lives.”

Chair of the Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership Philip Seccombe said “The Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel campaign and National Police Chief Council Two Wheel campaign are great opportunities to show how partnership working and communication can make a real difference to improving road safety in Warwickshire." 

“It is a really exciting time for road safety in Warwickshire as we move into a new era of road safety by adopting a ‘safe systems’ approach. This means Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership will be looking at all aspects of road safety including road and vehicle design, speed, post collision care and road user behaviour to reduce death and serious injury on our roads. Our aim is to achieve the challenging target of a 50% reduction in death and injury on our roads by 2030. We will need your help to achieve this." 

All events are completely free and will be held at several locations throughout the week. Booking is required for all library events.

Throughout the month-long campaign Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership will be using social media to raise awareness and educate about driver and rider behaviour. Please follow the campaign on social media on Facebook @WarwickshireRoadSafety @WCCSafeActiveTravel and Twitter @WarksRoadSafety @WCCSafe_Active.

For further information or to find out more about the fantastic engagement events please contact roadsafetyeducation@warwickshire.gov.uk and/or follow Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership on social media.

Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership brings key partners together and presents opportunities for innovative working, using international best practice. Using an evidence based Safe System approach, Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership is striving to eliminate fatal and serious casualties, thereby creating a safer road environment which will encourage active and sustainable travel.

Further information:

Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel is a national interschool walking, wheeling, scooting and cycling challenge. It aims to inspire hundreds of thousands of schools aged children to get active on the school run. This year’s challenge will take place from 21 March to 1 April 2022.

The national police led NPCC 2-wheels campaign takes place from 4-17 April and aims to help reduce the number of people on 2 wheels that are killed or seriously injured on our roads every year.

All the planned activities form part of the wider Road Safety Education programme to help Warwickshire children, young people, and adults travel safely and actively.

Details of events (booking is required for all library sessions):

• Tuesday 22nd March - Warwick Library, 09:30am
• Wednesday 23rd March - Atherstone Library, 11.00am
• Thursday 24th March - Shipston-on-Stour Library, 10.00am  
• Thursday 24th March - Polesworth Library, 10.30am
• Friday 25th March- Coleshill Library, 11.00am
• Friday 25th March- Alcester Library, 10.30am
• Monday 28th March - Rugby Library, 11.00am
• Monday 28th March - Wellesbourne Library, 10.00am
• Wednesday 30th March - Kenilworth Library, 10.00am
• Thursday 31st March- Lillington Library, 10.30am
• Friday 1st April - Southam Library, 11.00am
• Friday 1st April - Harbury Library, 13.00
• Monday 4th April - Whitnash Library, 11.15am 
• Monday 4th April - Nuneaton Library, 11.00am
• Tuesday 5th April - Leamington Library, 10.30am
• Wednesday 6th April - Kineton Community Library, 14:00
• Thursday 7th April - Stratford-upon-Avon Library, 10.30am
• Tuesday 12th April - Hartshill Hayes Country Park, 10.00am
• Tuesday 12th April - Kingsbury Water Park, 13:30
• Thursday 14th April - Ryton Pools Country Park, 11:00am