Child Traffic Safety - Compare and Contrast

Netherlands-based Mark Wagenbuur has just uploaded another fascinating video on his youtube channel, this time about child traffic training in the Netherlands. Little needs to be said, except that Mark states towards the end that there were 15 child traffic deaths last year in the Netherlands. This compares with 124 in the UK in 2008. The UK population is 61.4m, the Netherlands 16.5m. Do your maths. Then have a look a look at this video and think for a second about how it differs from the UK.



The vast amount of energy, money and peoples' focus on self-defence measures for cyclists in the UK appears to be diverting us from the real problems.

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School car-exclusion zones

While searching for articles about 20mph zones, I came across a Northern Echo article about a car exclusion zone set up a five minute walk from a school in Durham - Pupils launch car-exclusion zone.

It's not clear from the article whether it is all cars which are excluded from the zone, or if it's just a voluntary/suggested zone for parents dropping their children off at the school. I'd guess it's the latter.

I wonder what difference this would make to Darlington's traffic patterns if it were implemented across all schools in the town?

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Banning cars from near schools

Banning vehicles from the vicinity of schools could help reverse the decline in walking seen in the UK in recent decades, said the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP).

At present, 38 per cent of all journeys under two miles - which could be covered by up to 30 minutes' brisk walking - are taken by car, adding to the "twin crises" of obesity and climate change, the report warned.

- 'Ban cars near schools to tackle problem of obesity'

No mention of bikes in the article, but an interesting idea. (A bike could make the 2 mile journey in 12 minutes, assuming a 10mph average speed...)

Some comments on this from Darlington's Cllr Mike Cartwright on his blog also: Obesity, Cars and CO2. In the comments for that post (which you can only access via the main page of the blog, not the individual post), Kate Davies makes the point that working mothers may be more seriously affected by this proposal as they need to be able to drop the kids off and then get on to work. However, if the exclusion zone were fairly small, they would only need to walk the last bit to the school, and they may get to work faster if the traffic congestion is eased.

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Residents call for safety move on The Broadway

A petition is being prepared by residents of a Darlington street who believe an accident is imminent because of poor road markings.

Residents of The Broadway, off Yarm Road, in Eastbourne, have complained to ward councillor Ian Haszeldine that the absence of road markings at the busy junction with Yarm Road is a danger to road users.

The matter is compounded by extra traffic using The Broadway for access to Heathfield Primary School and as a shortcut for the industrial estates in Lingfield.

Residents are calling for the road to be made a 20mph zone, and for extra markings to keep the junction free from parked cars.

Heathfield School is one which has had good results in encouraging its pupils to cycle to school and it would be a shame if safety fears led to a decline in the numbers cycling to school, or if the school felt it had to discourage cycling as has happened at at least one Darlington school.

Ironically, the very thing which encourages cars to make use of this street as a rat run is also what makes it key to cycling in the area; it enables access to the Lingfield industrial estates without the need to ride on the large McMullen Road/Yarm Road roundabout.

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Beauty and The Bike

'Beauty and the Bike' sessions will offer participants free health and beauty advice and practical solutions related to looking and feeling good when arriving by bike. In addition, they will incorporate messages on the health and fitness benefits of cycling. The project will also provide facilities and equipment to create dedicated changing and storage areas for use by girls that cycle to school.

- 'Beauty and the Bike' Wins Shimano Cycling Concept Award 2007

Brilliant idea.

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