Meeting minutes - Road Safety Framework Local Partnership Forum - North - 19 June 2024

Members

  • Ben McKenna (Chair) - Transport Scotland (TS) Road Safety Policy
  • Daryl McKeown (DM) - Perth and Kinross Council
  • David McArthur (DMca) - Perth and Kinross Council
  • Elaine Penny (EP) - Moray Council
  • Neil Hutcheson (NH) - Shetland Council
  • Lisa MacKellaich (LM) - Highland Council
  • Fiona Reid (FR) - Dundee City Council
  • Darren Chambers (DC) - Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS)
  • Simon Bradshaw (SB) - Cycling Scotland
  • Vycki Ritson (VR) - Aberdeen City Council
  • Eric Dunion (ED) - Police Scotland - North Safety Camera Unit
  • Nick Yeats (NY) - Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS)
  • Richard Bailie (RB) - Aberdeenshire Council
  • Caroline Hood (CH) - Robert Gordon University
  • Miles Stubbs (MB) - SFRS

In Attendance

  • Katrina Caldwell (KC) - TS Statistics
  • Donnie Mackinnon (DMa) - Police Scotland
  • Mathew Wylie (MW) - Orkney Council
  • John Macleod (JM) - Western Isles Council
  • Ross Bartlett (RB) - Highland Council
  • Karen McDonnell (KM) - ScORSA
  • Michelle Little (ML) - TS Road Safety Policy

Apologies

  • Andy Mather (AM) - Police Scotland
  • Yvonne Scott (YS) - Orkney Council
  • Kenny Roy (KR) - Orkney Council
  • Campbell Sands (CS) - SFRS
  • Diane Anderson (DA) - Moray Council
  • Colin Maciver (CMa) - Western Isles Council
  • Andrew Wilkinson (AW) - Aberdeenshire Council
  • Ewan Wallace (EW) - Aberdeenshire Council
  • Stuart Wilson (SW) - TS Safety and Development & Chair of A9 Safety Group
  • Caroline Hay (CHa) - TS Road Safety Scotland
  • Richard Perry (RP) - TS Area Manager
  • David Devine (DD) - TS Area Manager
  • Alasdair Sim (AS) - TS Area Manager
  • Calum Mackenzie (CM) - Western Isles Council
  • Brian Cargill (BC) - Perth and Kinross Council
  • Roddy Ross (RR) - Perth and Kinross Council
  • Robin Pope (RP) - Highland Council
  • Rona Gibb (RG) - Paths for All
  • Martin Hall (MH) - Aberdeenshire Council

Secretariat

  • Kieren Green (KG) - TS Road Safety Policy

Agenda Item 1 – Welcome and Introductions

The Chair welcomed the LPF North members to the meeting, and proceeded with round table introductions.

Previous Minutes and Actions

There was one outstanding action –

Chair/Secretariat to invite project manager for Trailblazers project to next meeting.

The project has concluded and the final evaluation will be circulated once published on the TS website. The project manager will attend and deliver a presentation at the meeting in November.

Feedback from Governance Groups

Activity reports were provided in the papers for all other governance groups. The following key points were highlighted:

  • The Cabinet Secretary for Transport chaired the SPB on 5 June.
  • The increase in casualties is concerning, and during the meeting the Cabinet Secretary emphasised that it’s now more important than ever to ensure that all road safety partners have a joined-up partnership buy in to the framework.
  • The Cabinet Secretary will have 1 to 1 meetings with all SPB members and liaise with government counterparts on road safety: Cabinet Secretary for Justice & Home Affairs, Cabinet Secretary for Finance & Local Government and Cabinet Secretary for Health & Social Care, along with Cllr Gail McGregor at CoSLA.
  • The Cabinet Secretary will also write to UK Government on matter stemming from Road Safety Summit: Graduate Driving License/ General Safety Regulation.
  • The OPG and SPB will now meet 4 times per year, due to increase in casualties.

LPF East will meet the day after this meeting and LPF West will meet on 27 June.

Agenda Item 2 - Knowledge and Data Analysis

Update on 2030 Targets and Localised Stats

The national casualty reduction targets as well as the mode and user specific targets for 2030 was presented, broken down into local authority areas. This data is from the Key Reported Road Casualties Scotland 2023 publication.

On a national scale:

  • Fatalities went down from 171 to 155 (9%)
  • Serious injuries went up by 9%
  • Slight injuries went up by 1%

Stats specific to LPF North:

  • Fatalities went down from 59 to 46 (22%) (female–9 and male–37)
  • Serious injuries went up by 18%
  • Slight injuries went up by 5%
  • Total casualties went up from 1,253 to 1,360 (9%)
  • 11 (24%) of fatalities in the North were over 70.

National casualty reduction target for the North:

  • 50% reduction in people killed  - 46 - Not on track
  • 50% reduction in people seriously injured - 533 - Not on track
  • 60% reduction in children killed - 1 (3 yr average) - On track
  • 60% reduction in children seriously injured - 35 - Not on track

EP asked if stats could provide 3-5 year averages for each individual stat, as well as individual years. The Chair agreed to liaise with stats colleagues to provide this at the next meeting.

CH asked if members can have a breakdown of modes KSIs by gender, noting men and women perceive risk differently.

Key themes

70 plus age group

DMa updated members on the Driver Engagement North initiative, funded through the Road Safety Framework Fund. A third simulator was funded and is now up and running. This is delivered at locations where older road users meet and use the simulators, officers then educate them on their driving. The aim is to roll this out nationally.

Motorcycles

DMa updated members on Rider Refinement North initiative. This is delivered in partnership with SFRS and IAM RoadSmart. Police Scotland is making good progress in rolling this out and has delivered eight sessions in Highlands, and was delivered to Western Isles and Orkney. Consideration is also being given to deliver this in Shetland, noting it is local authorities who finance this. The initiative is continuing to be evaluated, but noted it often involves keen/proactive motorcyclists participating and would like to target those who are not as keen to be involved. The Force continues to educate motorcyclists at the roadside, noting they are always keen to educate and broaden who they’re engaging with.

DMa highlighted that unmarked motorcycles are being used in the north to deal with poor road user behaviour, taking a preventative approach and interact at a local level.

CH echoed the point that there is a core group of motorcyclists that won’t attend these sessions, and also raised the issue of antisocial use of electric motorcycles/scooters.

DMa responded that it tends to be the younger demographic who often use these modes. Police Scotland is taking a joined up community approach to share messages of safe riding, and try to educate users when they are not riding.

MS highlighted that SFRS run the ‘BikerDown’ initiative which is classroom based, and educates on basic life support/ post collision/ trauma care for motorcyclists. This has been rolled out in Aberdeenshire, Moray and Highlands, and will continue to be rolled out for the rest of the biker season, as the SFRS continue to fund. DriveWise is also continuing to run, aimed at S6s and college students, noting it’s not to shock but to educate participants.

DMa advised that Police Scotland continues to run New Driver Early Intervention Scheme across the North, which is generally delivered to 10-12 people at a time which makes it more interactive.

VR asked members what vehicle restraint barriers local authorities use as there was a motorcycle fatality it their area involving the flexible barrier. Members advised that ‘Double Armco Barriers’ can be used as a solution.

CH is content to set up a meeting with VR to discuss the use of barriers in more depth and share the research on this.

RB advised that as part of the Road Safety Improvement Fund, Aberdeenshire delivered Passive Snow Poles on their network, this was due to motorcyclist colliding with them, with the monitoring and evaluation ongoing.

Action Point: TS Stats to provide 3-5 average for each stat, as well as individual years.

Action Point: TS Stats to provide a breakdown of mode and user KSIs by gender.

Action Point: MS to share the upcoming dates for BikerDown with the Chair, and arrange for TS to attend.

Action Point: CH to set up a meeting with VR to discuss motorcycle barriers in more depth and share the research on this.

Agenda Item 3 - Road Safety Framework Funded Projects

Safe System Training

The ‘Safe System Training and Capacity Building’ project is concluding this month, and we will share the work with all partners once finalised: E-Learning Primer / Data RoadMap / Safe System Culture Playbook. KG presented the e-learning Primer to members. Work will continue on the Safe System Manual, which will see Scotland being the first county in the world to ever have one. TS is looking to roll out the Safe System training to road safety partners this financial year, subject to budget being available.

Cycling Scotland - Vulnerable Road User Awareness Training

SB delivered a presentation on the Highway Code research project which was funded through the Road Safety Evaluation Fund in 2023/24 and aimed to gauge public understanding of the Highway Code and recent changes designed to protect Vulnerable Road Users. The project was delivered in two parts; the first being a population survey questionnaire, and with the second analysing road user behaviour from video footage capturing interactions between people driving and people walking or cycling at junctions, taking into account the recent changes to the Highway Code. Key learning has been incorporated into Cycling Scotland’s training products.

Data from the public survey showed that whilst 3 in 4 drivers say they know the Highway Code well, only half are aware of changes introduced in 2022 and could correctly prioritise road users in the Hierarchy.

The video survey data showed that people cycling were often given priority by people driving but, in contrast, in less than half of interactions were people driving observed to give priority to people walking either waiting to cross or already crossing side roads. Overall, the results show the importance of more effective communications to raise awareness of the Highway Code and promote safer road user behaviours. Read the full report.

ScORSA

KM provided an update on the ScORSA project which is funded through the Road Safety Framework Fund. There is over 800 organisations that are members of ScORSA, which is aimed at improving driving and riding for work. The project includes an engagement piece, where ScORSA will be working with local authorities on their driving for work policies, delivering road safety hour seminars to members and also podcasts discussing key road safety themes. ScORSA will be holding face to face sessions, with the next one being in the West.

Action Point: SB to send chair the presentation to circulate with the minutes.

Agenda Item 4 - Partner Updates/Discussions

Partner Updates

Written partner updates were circulated in advance on the meeting with the following points highlighted:

Perth and Kinross Council

  • Looking to expand their Young Driver Strategy into areas of Tayside.
  • Continue to work in partnership with Police Scotland and community teams to understand local issues. This tends to be around speeding and enforcement so have now also included engagement with the Safety Camera Unit.

Western Isles Council

  • Continuing to progress with 20 mph speed limit introduction on appropriate roads.
  • Looking at using TTROs to implement and using lamppost wraps to highlight to road users.

Aberdeen City Council

  • Continuing with the rollout and enforcement of pavement parking. Twelve streets have been exempt.
  • Continuing to implement 20 mph speed limits and are continuing to engage with local elected members and communities to support the rollout.

Orkney Islands Council

  • Road safety strategy for the next five years has recently been approved by committee.
  • Pavement parking ban enforcement and 20 mph implementation will go to committee in September for consideration.

Dundee City Council

  • Working with North Safety Camera Partnership to promote new sites including flexible deployment locations.

Highland Council

  • Road Safety Plan was approved by their committee in May and will be published in due course.
  • Delivered over 50 projects via the Safer Routes to School Programme.
  • Will consult with local elected members and community councils regarding areas where 20 mph speed limits have been installed.

Moray Council

  • Road Safety Plan is complete and will go for committee approval in June 2024.
  • Completed a number of road safety schemes, including better alignment for improved pedestrian and cyclist visibility and junction improvements on the A940.

Aberdeenshire Council

  • Trialled the use of Vivacity near miss software at a rural T junction and are analysing results.
  • Conducted pedestrian crossing assessments, and also look at installation of new crossings.

Police Scotland

  • Continue to engage, educate and also enforce where necessary.
  • Continue to promote and deliver Rider Refinement courses across the north. These are well attended and continue to evaluate well with those in attendance.
  • Continue to deliver Driver Engagement North, focussing on older road users. Recently took receipt of a further two driver simulators which will bolster this resource, not only in the north but in other command areas.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

  • Continue with a preventative approach and has delivered various road safety education inputs to schools, organisations and also within HMP Perth.
  • Work in collaboration with Police Scotland to host Rider Refinement courses.
  • Delivering a road safety event in partnership with Police Scotland and SAS in July.

Road Safety Scotland

  • Continue to develop a new resource to replace Your Call and Crash Magnets. This involves engagement at a variety of levels including pupils and teachers in schools.
  • Road safety within Curriculum for Excellence booklet will be updated for the new academic year and distributed to Early Learning Centres, and Primary and Secondary Schools in late August/September.

ScORSA

  • Delivered a number of ‘Road Safety Hours’ which have looked at the role of the Traffic Commissioner, HGVs, fatigue and GIG economy.

Cycling Scotland

  • Give Cycle Space campaign ran between 29 April and 24 May with strong support from stakeholders and influencers. The social media content for the campaign had a reach of over 270K across various platforms.
  • National funding continues to be used to deliver both cycling and cycle awareness courses for drivers/learner drivers across Scotland. Cycle awareness has been delivered to interested road safety stakeholders and fleet operators.

When discussing the 20mph Strategy, EP asked if there will be a working group for Regional Transport Partnerships. KG confirmed that TS will look to arrange a delivery subgroup to discuss next steps and share the guidance, noting TS has already held individual meetings with all roads authorities.

DC raised if ‘reality checks’ to tourists and residents in rural areas can be applied, as it can take the SAS up to 90 mins to get to casualties in the North due to remoteness and limited resources.

DMa advised that there is an even split of offending between tourist and residents. A hard line messaging approach may be suitable, particularly for visitors, also noting enforcement needs a hardline approach. Police Scotland and Road Safety Scotland also work with hire companies for tourists such as giving wristbands for ‘Drive on the Left’. DC asked if there is anything SAS can do to support this, with MS also offering the support of SFRS.

The chair advised that he will set up a meeting between Road Safety Scotland, Police Scotland, SAS and SFRS to discuss the work of tourists and how we can have a collaborative approach to delivery going forward.

Action Point: The Chair will set up a meeting between Road Safety Scotland, Police Scotland, SAS and SFRS to discuss the work of tourists and how we can have a collaborative approach to delivery going forward.

Agenda Item 5 - AOB

The chair asked if members would like to discuss any AOB, and if there is anything that members would like to see from these meetings going forward, noting we want these meetings to be as beneficial as possible.

EP raised that it can be difficult having individual conversations with members at these meetings and asked if in person meetings can be considered.

The Chair advised that the team has considered this but noted difficulties in identifying a suitable location for all within the north. However, the Chair will engage with members and gauge the appetite of having these in meetings person (with a hybrid option available) and will consider this for the next meeting which will be in November 2024.

The Chair noted to members that Kieren Green, who previously chaired these meetings, will move roles within TS and will be leaving the team. The Chair thanked Kieren for his work on the LPF North since its inception and more widely in road safety over the past 6 years.

Action Point: The Chair to put next meeting in diaries for November 2024, and consider an in person/hybrid meeting.

Back to top

Published Date 9 Aug 2024 Type Mode of transport Topic