Tag: safer streets

Starmer pledges joint action to keep women and girls safe at night

  • Police chiefs, industry executives and transport bosses called to Downing Street to crack down on spiking and protect women and girls
  • Spiking will become a new criminal offence in England and Wales
  • Commitment to halve violence against women and girls is central to the government’s mission to make our streets safe

Police chiefs, industry executives and transport bosses must work together to keep women and girls safe, the Prime Minster will urge when he convenes leaders in Downing Street later today.

Reiterating his personal commitment to halve violence against women and girls, the Prime Minister will also confirm that his government will make spiking a new criminal offence. This will send a clear signal that this is a crime, and perpetrators should feel the full force of the law, empowering victims to report offences and giving them confidence the justice system will support them.

Speaking to leaders later today, the Prime Minister will set out how the new offence is just one of part of the solution. He will demand coordinated action across the police, transport network and venues to stamp out this cowardly act and take back our streets.

This will include training thousands of staff working in the nighttime economy on how to spot and tackle spiking. Piloted from December, the training will help equip staff with the skills they need to prevent incidents, support victims and help police collect evidence. This will be rolled out to up to 10,000 bar staff across the country by spring next year.

At today’s meeting, which comes just weeks before Christmas and when violence against women and girls is known to rise, the Prime Minister will hear from police forces and industry leaders about the tactics already being used to keep women safe and urge other forces and venues to follow their lead.

  • Chief Constable Jason Hogg, Thames Valley Police, will set out how his force has deployed plain clothed officers into areas around bars and clubs to spot predatory sexual behaviour. This tactic is now being used by over 20 forces across England and Wales.
  • Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi, British Transport Police will set out work being undertaken to keep women safe using public transport. This includes relaunching the text-to-report number, 61016, that is now free across all major networks, allowing women to discretely contact British Transport Police for help if they are or someone else is being harassed on the train. In one case, a victim texted 61016 to alert the police, officers met the train, and the offender was arrested just half an hour later.
  • Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality and Chair of Institute of Licensing, will discuss supporting the Home Office in its plans to roll out nationwide training to make sure all door and bar staff know how to prevent spiking and have the skills needed to act if they suspect someone has been spiked.
  • Chief Constable Maggie Blyth, the NPCC lead for VAWG, will talk about the ongoing scale and threat of violence against women and girls, its prevalence in the night-time economy and what policing needs to tackle offenders and reduce the number of victims enduring abuse.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “My government was elected on a pledge to take back our streets, and we will never achieve this if women and girls do not feel safe at night. 

“Today, I will bring together police chiefs, heads of industry and transport bosses to demand coordinated action to stop women being targeted, whether they are out with friends or simply travelling home. 

“Cracking down on spiking is central to that mission. 

“We know it can be incredibly difficult for victims to come forward to report this awful crime, and these cases can be very hard to prosecute. We must do more to bring the vile perpetrators who carry out this cowardly act, usually against young women and often to commit a sexual offence, to justice.

“That is why I made a promise that, if elected, I would make spiking a new criminal offence. Today, I am proud to have come good on that pledge.”

Action against spiking is just one of the measures being taken to meet the government’s unprecedented manifesto commitment to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade, a fundamental part of the mission to make our streets safe.

Within the first few months of being in office, the government has already announced plans to launch new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders to give greater protection to victims, and that domestic abuse specialists will be embedded in 999 control rooms. More announcements are expected in the coming weeks.

Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper said: “Spiking is a disturbing and serious crime which can have a damaging and long-lasting impact on victims.

“That’s why today we are taking decisive action to prevent this devastating crime and to crack down on perpetrators, by introducing a new criminal offence for spiking and launching specialist training for thousands of bar staff nationwide.

“People shouldn’t have to worry about the safety of their drinks on a night out. These changes are about giving victims greater confidence to come forward, and ensuring that there is a robust response from the police whenever this appalling crimes take place.”

Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: “Our pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants are where Brits go to enjoy themselves and our priority is to ensure everyone can do that safely.

“I’m pleased that we’re able to support the Home Office in its plans to roll out a nationwide training programme as part of these efforts, to help ensure all staff know how to prevent spiking and have the skills to act if they suspect someone has been spiked.

“This is all part of hospitality’s unwavering commitment to keeping customers safe and ensuring our teams have the knowledge and skills they need.”

Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones, said: “Christmas should be a time for celebration and community but all too often perpetrators of vile crimes like spiking take advantage of festivities to target women and girls.

“As a society we cannot accept that, and this government is taking firm action to keep them safe – from creating a new criminal offence of spiking to working hand-in-hand with police and business to crack down on this behaviour. 

“These are just some of the steps that will allow us to achieve our aim of halving violence against women and girls.”

Assistant Chief Constable Samantha Millar, National Police Chiefs’ Council Violence Against Women and Girls Strategic Programme Director, said: “Spiking can have a significant, traumatic impact on victims and feelings of safety in the night-time economy, particularly for women and girls.

“Spiking is a complex offence to investigate as drugs can pass through the system quickly and there is often a lack of evidential opportunities, which is why quick reporting and early evidence gathering, including forensic testing, is key.

“Police forces across the country have been working proactively to stop spiking from happening in the night-time economy and improve feelings of safety for women and girls. This includes regular, targeted patrols of busy town centres and visiting organisations, such as universities, to raise awareness of the symptoms of spiking. 

“Forces also work closely with bars, pubs and clubs to tackle spiking, and during the first national spiking police week of action in March, forces collectively visited over 1900 licensed venues to ensure that staff understood how to support victims. 

“I hope that the policing response to protect women and girls in the night-time economy shows how committed we are to making our streets safer. I would encourage anyone who is a victim of spiking to report it to the police, you will be listened to, and you will be taken seriously.”

Dalry Primary pupils celebrate arrival of safer streets

A new ‘school zone’ has launched at Dalry Primary School with a day of festivities to celebrate safer streets and improved air quality.

Pupils are now set to benefit from wider, people-friendly footpaths and reduced motor traffic at key drop-off and pick-up times along Springwell Place and Cathcart Place, either side of the school.

The scheme has been delivered thanks to a grant from Sustrans’ Temporary School Streets Fund.

Dalry Primary School has worked with the Council and Sustrans to collaboratively design the project, including new artwork by local artist Shona Hardie, featuring designs inspired by ideas created with pupils at workshops last year.

These are complemented by planters and seating to help deliver a more relaxed environment for pupils and local people.

Activities to celebrate the launch of the project started with a ‘walking bus’ from Tynecastle High School to help children and parents walk to school safely. They were joined by performers from Leith-based Think Circus, who captivated pupils with a number of interactive workshops throughout the day.

After school activities also included a ‘Dr Bike’ session, allowing children and parents to have their bikes checked and repaired for free, while The Bike Station’s ‘Wee Bike Library’ presented bikes of different sizes for kids to try out. Parents were also able to sign up for a free bike from the library.

Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “I firmly believe that no parent should have to worry about their child walking or cycling to school, and I’m delighted that this new initiative will help to create a safer environment during the busy pick-up and drop-off times in the school day.

“These improvements at Dalry Primary are also designed to benefit the whole community. We’ve worked with a fantastic artist to create colourful street art and a more relaxed environment for everyone to spend time along Cathcart Place, Springwell Place and Dalry Road, and we hope local residents and visitors enjoy the fun designs and opportunities to rest as much as pupils.

“We look forward to seeing the results of the changes and helping parents to more easily walk and cycle with their children every day. These results will also help us as we continue to explore ideas to help people to travel more safely around the wider local area.”

Karen McGregor, Scotland Director, Sustrans said: “We are excited to launch the school zone at Dalry Primary in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council. In Scotland and across the UK, we have been working with stakeholders to transform the surrounding streets near schools. The result is a safer, happier and more pleasant environment for pupils, parents and the wider community.

“Nearly 50 percent of pupils in Scotland either walk, wheel or cycle to school, according to our latest Hands Up Scotland Survey results. Innovative projects like the Dalry Primary school zone will help to empower more pupils and families to leave the car at home and enjoy an active commute.”

Elaine Honeyman, Headteacher at Dalry Primary School, said: “It’s fantastic to see this scheme underway after lots of discussions with parents, residents and of course, our pupils.

“The safety measures are already proving popular with the children as they arrive at school. Pupils have told me that they are enjoying all the improvements to our school area, particularly the colourful street art and the playful aspect that this adds to the surrounding streets.”

Among the enthusiastic pupils are two P6 Junior Road Safety Officers.

Umaima Rakha Parveen said: “I think the street art is an interesting way to distract the young people and will help them to stay away from the roadside and stay safe.”

Attri Roy said: “The parents and children can use the seats to rest on when they arrive at school and many children will love to play on the seats.”

The school zone outside Dalry Primary School reduces motor traffic on Cathcart Place and Springwell Place (where the school has its entrances) on school days between 8:15 and 9:15am, Mondays to Thursdays between 2:30 and 3:45pm and Fridays between 11:30 and 1pm.

Local access continues for residents of Cathcart Place and Springwell Place, emergency services and blue badge holders during these times.

Such projects offer a number of benefits for everyone, including increasing walking, cycling and active lifestyles for pupils, parents and carers, while also reducing the speed of traffic, congestion and pollution around school gates.

New ‘school zone’ to bring safer streets for Dalry Primary pupils

Pupils at Dalry Primary School are set to benefit from safer streets and improved air quality with the introduction of a new ‘school zone’.

Following the results of a School Travel survey, the City of Edinburgh Council is introducing the initiative in both side streets of Dalry Primary School, covering two pupil entrances on Springwell Place and Cathcart Place.

School children shared their ideas to improve the school zone with the parents, carers and local residents following a day of engagement on 5th December.  

The Council will receive £46,000 from Sustrans’ Temporary School Streets Fund to widen the footpath outside the school and reduce vehicle traffic in the immediate area surrounding the school. 

Such ‘school zones’ offer a number of benefits for everyone, including increasing walking, cycling and active lifestyles for pupils, parents and carers, while also reducing the speed of traffic, congestion and pollution around school gates.

Dalry Primary School is working with the Council and Sustrans to collaboratively design the project, which could include some playful elements such as artwork, planters and benches or seats, so children feel safer and more relaxed.

Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “As part of our recent survey, parents have told us that the streets surrounding Dalry Primary School can be busy with traffic and difficult to navigate safely at certain times of the day.

“This new ‘school zone’ is part of our 20-minute neighbourhood approach in the local area to create a safer, more relaxed environment for everyone to move around and spend time.

“We have seen from other similar initiatives across the city that many parents have enjoyed being able to walk and cycle more easily with their children every day, and we look forward to monitoring the results of this project and hopefully delivering the same benefits right across Dalry in partnership with local residents and businesses.

“I know that many other schools in Edinburgh suffer from the same problems, so I hope that they will be able to learn from Dalry Primary School. No parent should have to worry about their child walking to school.

Elaine Honeyman, Headteacher at Dalry Primary School, said: “The safety and wellbeing of our students is a top priority. 

By reducing traffic at pick-up and drop-off times, parents and children will feel more empowered to walk, wheel or cycle to school.

“Older pupils making their way to school on their own will be able to cross the roads much more safely. 

Limiting car access also reduces noise and air pollution, creating a more pleasant and sustainable atmosphere for both our school and the surrounding community.

Eilish MacKay, P7 Pupil at Dalry Primary School, shared her thoughts: “I think this will improve safety around our school. 

“It will encourage more families to do exercise, and walk, cycle or scooter to school. 

“The improved width of the pavements will allow families to walk more safely without being squished up. 

“If we can reduce the traffic in the streets around the school, it will decrease the pollution and give us cleaner air to breathe.”

Dr Cecilia Oram, Head of Behaviour Change, Sustrans Scotland said: “Creating a safe environment for young people is so important. Our latest Hands Up Scotland Survey revealed that nearly 50 percent of school pupils are travelling actively to school, either by walking, cycling, scootering or skating.

“Through the Temporary School Streets Fund, we can encourage even more families to leave the car at home in favour of cleaner air and safer streets.”

The school zone outside Dalry Primary School will reduce motor traffic on Cathcart Place and Springwell Place (where the school has its entrances) on school days between 8:15 and 9:15am, Mondays to Thursdays between 2:30 and 3:45pm and Fridays between 11:30 and 1pm.

Local access will continue for residents of Cathcart Place and Springwell Place, emergency services and blue badge holders. 

An online survey is available until 15 January 2024, where residents, parents and carers can share comments on the current safety levels of Springwell Place and Cathcart Place, alongside their feedback and suggestions for the school zone project.

The project is due to be delivered in March 2024.

Slower Speeds, Safer Streets for Edinburgh: Living Streets group launches Action Plan

Action Points for the City of Edinburgh Council

1  CEC  should set a ‘Vision Zero’ target of no deaths or serious injuries on its roads, within its new Road Safety Plan, with a target of 2030 for realising that vision.  (A more ambitious target than the national one is realistic in Edinburgh, where speeds are lower and road  safety problems are less diverse.)  

2   Excessive speeding is the principal source of the collisions that result in casualties. Realising this vision will require stronger and more comprehensive actions to reduce speeds on the city’s roads. Stronger measures both to enforce speed limits, and to redesign streets are essential. 

3   Maximum use should be made of both fixed and mobile speed cameras, and red light cameras for enforcement.  Suitable technology should be employed to ensure that the breaking of all speed limits (from 20 to 70 mph) can be enforced. Successful schemes on main roads using average speed cameras, such as that on Dalkeith Rd, should be rolled out across the city. But camera deployments must also be targeted by evidence of highly excessive speeds, not just by whether these have yet resulted in collisions.

4  Enforcement of 20mph limits across the city is never likely to be a priority for the police however, and CEC initiative and support will be essential. Involvement of the public and community groups, through initiatives such as ‘Speedwatch’, is vital for the identification of speeding problems and targeting of enforcement efforts on residential streets. 

5  With the necessary legal powers, the council could readily undertake enforcement actions, alongside and co-ordinated with the police, under a system analogous to that for parking offences. Lesser speeding offences should be subject to fines issued by council wardens, with evidence of more serious abuses passed on for action by the police. CEC should seek the necessary devolved powers for such an enforcement system, with the fines set to fully fund the costs of enforcement. 

6   A renewed emphasis on street redesign is needed, with the full range of traffic calming measures flexibly used wherever required. More use of soft measures such as speed indicator signs can be helpful, but they are no substitute for the hard engineering measures such as humps, cushions, and speed tables that effectively curb speeds. A single road hump on the approach to a sharp bend for example can eliminate a serious risk. Perceptions of safety are also very important for pedestrians and are an additional benefit on traffic calmed streets.

7   Raised crossings should become the norm on residential streets with 20mph limits. There should be a presumption that all new crossings, whether formal or informal, should be raised, with appropriate tactile paving, making them safer and easier to use for pedestrians.  Especially where located at the approaches to junctions the slower speeds would have additional traffic calming benefits. 

8   The current CEC safety review of major junctions is very welcome and needs to be made comprehensive. There are also still a multitude of more minor junctions with dangerous wide splay entrances that need to be redesigned. A new targeted review and investment programme is needed to systematically improve them, with tighter radii, build outs and raised entrances, as appropriate.

9   School safety plans are needed that provide for safer routes and for the safer school entrance areas that are needed at many of the city’s schools. Wider pavements should be provided that allow for the concentration of pedestrian activity these areas inevitably attract, with reduced parking and less use of guardrail.  

10   Many pavements in the city are sub-standard, and often far too narrow.  A comprehensive review and investment programme is needed to widen pavements and meet minimum design standards wherever possible. Where narrower carriageway widths result this will often also help to slow traffic speeds.

Action Points for the Scottish Government

1   ‘Vision Zero’ has strong public support, but to be realistic it requires more resources to support camera enforcement of speed limits at national and local level. Fines should be set at increased levels to ensure that finance will be available to support sufficiently comprehensive enforcement efforts, independent of the more general state of public finances.

2    Fines and license penalties should be graduated by the degree of excessive speeding involved and should be applicable to employers as well as individual drivers, where there is evidence of repeat offending.

3   Powers should be devolved to local authorities to allow them to undertake proportionate enforcement actions through wardens and levy fines for offences including speeding, red light jumping, pavement cycling and illegal use of e-scooters in co-ordination with the police. This will be vital for effective enforcement efforts where 20 mph limits apply across residential areas, with police resources and priorities necessarily being stretched.  

4   National driver and employer education campaigns should be undertaken on the consequences of speeding, aimed at making speeding as socially unacceptable as driving with excess alcohol has become.

5   More advice and resources should be made available to local authorities to support the creation of safer streets through redesign and traffic calming. There is still a massive design deficit in terms of safety, but local authority road safety budgets and teams have been severely cut over recent years. Without strong and prioritised central government support, ‘vision zero’ will remain a mirage on many local authority streets. 

Living Streets Edinburgh Group

Charity launches campaign to free Britain’s pavements of clutter

  • Living Streets is launching a campaign to rid Britain’s pavements of clutter.
  • An increase in e-bikes, e-scooters, and on-street dining has seen more space taken away from pedestrians.
  • Over a third of people (34%) would visit their local High Street more if pavements were less cluttered.
  • The charity wants people to map the clutter in their local area on an interactive map during their #CutTheClutter Week of Action (12-18 July 2021)
  • The campaign is supported by British Cycling, Cycling UK, Guide Dogs, RNIB and Transport for All.

Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking is launching a campaign to rid Britain’s pavements of clutter.

Poorly placed bins, A-boards and excessive signage can clutter pavements and make it hazardous for people to get around. A recent increase in e-bikes, e-scooters, and on-street dining has seen more space taken away from pedestrians. Living Streets wants to cut the clutter on Britain’s pavements to make it easier for people walking and wheeling.

Cluttered pavements can prevent people with wheelchairs, buggies or Guide Dogs getting around easily and safely. Living Streets research finds that it can also impact on everyone’s desire to walk more, with a YouGov poll finding that over a third of people (34%) would visit their local High Street more if pavements were less cluttered.   

The charity is launching a #CutTheClutter Week of Action (12-18 July 2021) and asking people to show where the clutter is in their local area on an interactive map. The charity is also helping people write to their local councils to tackle the issue.

Stephen Edwards, Interim CEO, Living Streets said: “Our pavements should be wide enough for everyone to pass each other easily. When footways are blocked, it forces people into the carriageway and into traffic. Our research shows that people are more likely to get out and support their local economy when their streets are clutter-free.

“Town and cities nationwide have been using government investment to trial schemes to create more space for people walking, including widening pavements and closing certain streets to traffic. We should not undo all this great work and investment by crowding pavements with excessive signage and poorly placed street furniture.”

Living Streets’ Cut the Clutter campaign is being supported by British Cycling, Cycling UK, Guide Dogs, RNIB and Transport for All.

Katie Pennick from Transport For All recently highlighted the issues wheelchair users face from on-street dining in a Twitter video that’s been viewed over 1.9 million times.

Katie Pennick, Campaigns Lead, Transport for All said: “For wheelchair users, visually impaired people, and many other disabled pedestrians – street clutter can turn pavements into treacherous, disorienting, and difficult routes.

“A poorly placed A-board can put an end to a particular journey. Having to navigate constant obstacles puts many people off from walking and wheeling, excluding them from the benefits of active travel.

“It’s vital that we remove the barriers on our pavements to enable more people to enjoy moving around their local communities with freedom, ease, and independence.”

To take part in the Week of Action, visit livingstreets.org.uk/Clutter

Charity urges public: Act now for safer streets

With just one week until the Government’s consultation on the Highway Code closes on Tuesday 27 October, Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking, is urging people to speak up for safer streets.

The Prime Minister unveiled the consultation in July, as part of the Government’s ‘most ambitious plans yet to boost cycling and walking’. A key feature of the proposed changes to the Highway Code is the idea of a ‘hierarchy of responsibility’, with road users who have the potential to cause the greatest harm, taking more responsibility for reducing the threat they pose to others.

There are also proposed changes at zebra crossings and junctions to give pedestrians priority and additional narrative on the dangers of speeding.

The proposed amends to the Highway Code were developed in partnership with the Walking and Cycling Alliance (WACA).[1]

Mary Creagh, Chief Executive, Living Streets said: “Everyone – walker, driver or cyclist – is a pedestrian at some point in their journey and has the right to feel safe on our streets.  This Highway Code review offers the chance to do just that.

“With great power comes great responsibility, so we want to see an end to the current position where a child walking to school has the same level of responsibility as an HGV driver.

“We are calling for people to back the changes which give more priority to pedestrians, and to the proposal for vehicles to give way to pedestrians at junctions and crossings.

“Supporting these proposed revisions will take a couple of minutes but could save hundreds of lives.”

The Highway Code consultation applies to England, Scotland and Wales.

For more information, visit livingstreets.org.uk/no1