KEEP Scotland Beautiful’s #UpstreamBattle week of action is taking place from 20- 28 January, and we’ll be hosting events across the week focused on stopping litter’s journey from #Source2Sea.
Find out more about how you can get involved and what is happening near you here:
https://keepscotlandbeautiful.org/upstream-battle/raising-awareness/upstream-battle-week-of-action/
It’s Pension Credit Week of Action!
This week is the perfect time to check yours or a loved one’s eligibility.
Find out more: http://ow.ly/BuBb50OEX9K
On 15-21 November 2021, all 45 UK police forces will execute Op Drive Insured in a national effort to reduce uninsured driving levels and protect road users.
The week-long campaign which has been developed by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) and NPCC’s National Roads Policing Operations, Intelligence and Investigations (NRPOII), will see an increase in roads policing activity to detect and seize uninsured vehicles.
MIB which is a not-for-profit organisation that compensates victims of uninsured and hit-and-run drivers, supported over 26,000 injured victims in 2020 – equating to one injury every 20 minutes.
In addition to causing more collisions, MIB records show uninsured drivers often commit wider road crime ranging from ‘hit and runs’, using a stolen vehicle and drink driving.
Ben Fletcher, Chief Customer Officer at MIB, said: “Put simply, uninsured motorists are very dangerous. They cause a worryingly high level of collisions and are frequently involved in wider crime.
“By using MIB’s Motor Insurance Database police can easily see if a vehicle appears to have no insurance and will take swift action to remove the threat. Op Drive Insured serves as an important reminder that no one is above the law and illegal motorists will be caught.”
Jo Shiner, Chief Constable at Sussex Police and NPCC Lead for Roads Policing, said: “Police officers take action against the users of uninsured vehicles every day, this national week of action really highlights how we work with all of our partners to take these vehicles off the road and prosecute offenders.
“We know those who are unwilling to insure their vehicles present more risk to other road users than those who do insure their vehicles.
“We have sophisticated systems to help identify offenders and we will use all of our powers to take appropriate action against offenders and make our roads safer.”
Uninsured driving is a problem that exists across all corners of the UK, with the worst-affected areas found in Birmingham, Bradford, Manchester and Greater London.
MIB which is funded by insurers and ultimately their honest premium-paying customers, requires around £400 million each year to compensate victims and help them rebuild their lives.
Furthermore, using government figures on the average value of prevention, MIB estimates that collisions caused by uninsured and hit-and-run drivers could cost the economy nearly £2 billion a year in emergency services, medical care, loss of productivity and property damage.
During the week of action, Police Officers will access MIB’s Motor Insurance Database (MID) – a central record of live UK motor insurance policies – to see if motorists’ licence plates show their vehicle as insured.
If the validity of insurance is disputed by the driver, MIB will liaise in real-time with the insurer in question to confirm if the vehicle has valid insurance.
Uninsured drivers will likely have their vehicle seized (and potentially crushed), receive a £300 fixed penalty notice and six licence points. Furthermore, uninsured motorists could face court and receive an unlimited fine and/or a driving ban. A criminal record can also affect job prospects.
So far this year, over 100,000 uninsured drivers have had their vehicle seized.
Driving insured? Be confident with MIB’s quick guide
| Do ✓ | Don’t  |
| Do check that your vehicle is appearing as insured on the Motor Insurance Database (MID) for free at www.askMID.com | Don’t withhold key information when buying insurance to save money. This is fraud – the consequences are serious, and it will invalidate the insurance policy. |
| Do only use your vehicle for the agreed purposes of its insurance cover. If unsure what your policy covers, speak to your insurer. | Don’t buy car insurance on social media, or through an unfamiliar source. It’s probably a fake car insurance scam called Ghost Broking. |
| Do find out when your policy expires and if it auto-renews, so you can ensure it doesn’t run out without your knowledge. | Don’t use a personal E-scooter on public roads and spaces. Only local authority-operated trial E-scooters are covered for third party use. |
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
Fire crews in unprecedented move to reach those at highest risk
Firefighters throughout Scotland will be deployed to protect vulnerable people in a nationwide ‘week of action’ aimed at preventing accidental house fires and the tragedies they cause.
The unprecedented move follows a recent appeal from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) for the public to help it reach those most likely to be killed or injured as a result of fire in the home.
Between January and May, 28 people lost their lives as a result of fires and June has so far seen two more fatalities.
People over the age of 60 accounted for almost two-thirds of those killed and, as well as age, the common factors contributing to many of the deaths were smoking, ill-health, living alone and limited mobility.
With evidence many fire tragedies could be prevented SFRS is taking the major step of sending operational crews and community firefighters to households throughout the country to offer residents advice on keeping their homes and everyone in them safe.
Ahead of the ‘Week of Action’ to protect people from fire, the service is again issuing a plea for families, friends and neighbours to take responsibility for keeping those close to them safe.
SFRS Chief Officer Alasdair Hay said: “We are totally committed to protecting the public and this significant step shows the importance we place on preventing fires from happening.
“The nationwide approach to this week of action means our personnel will be visible throughout Scotland and pro-actively contact as many people as we possibly can.
“We rely on responsible citizens and partner agency colleagues to put us in touch with individuals who may be at increased risk of experiencing a fire in their home and those strong partnerships are absolutely vital to preventing tragedies.
“As the country’s firefighters work to protect every community I would urge everyone to join Scotland’s fight against fire by ensuring anyone who might need some help gets that potentially life-saving support.”
Statistics show those aged 65 and over are more than twice as likely to die in a fire as people of other ages.
The speed with which a fire can develop and spread toxic smoke, heat and flames means those who are old, who live alone and who have issues with their health or mobility are at particular risk of being injured or killed.
Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs, Paul Wheelhouse, said: “The work of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to raise awareness of the risks of fire is very valuable and means that we are safer from the risk of fire at home than we have ever been.
“However it’s crucial not to become complacent and the recent spate of tragic fire fatalities has shown some people, particularly the elderly, immobile and those who live alone, are still at risk.
“That’s why it is so positive to see the fire service working with partners, including health authorities and the voluntary sector, to develop new ways to identify those individuals in communities who are most at risk, and to make early interventions to ensure they are protected.”
The ‘Week of Action’ will involve local senior officers calling on the support of partner agencies to reach those who they know to be at risk.
By visiting homes firefighters can help residents understand the risks and take very minor actions known to dramatically reduce the chance of a fire starting.
Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay, the SFRS director of prevention and protection, explained why their efforts also mean occupiers are less likely to be hurt or killed if a fire does happen in their home.
He said: “We often see smoke alarms in the wrong position and firefighters conducting a home fire safety visit will correct this to make sure people are protected.
“If someone is over the age of 60, lives alone or has difficulty moving around then it can take more time for them to escape in an emergency.
“They need to know not to smoke in bed, or even while feeling tired and sitting in a chair. If the person just can’t avoid doing this then we can work with partners and communities to help make them safer.
“There is a huge amount of support available but we need our partner agencies and the public to help us make sure it gets to those who need it.”
He continued: “We also want to remind people that if they hear a smoke alarm activating then they need to call 999 and report it right away.
“Many people can be reluctant to make an emergency call and assume an alarm has gone off due to something innocuous like burnt toast, but the fact is waiting to see if the alarm stops could cost someone their life.”
With an aging population – 23 per cent of the UK will be aged 65 and over by 2035 – helping older people prevent fires and stay safe is certain to remain an issue for every community.
Free home fire safety visits take around 20 minutes to complete and are conducted by local SFRS crews at a time convenient for the householder.
A popular feature of the Join Scotland’s Fight against Fire campaign, they are available by calling the freephone number 0800 073 1999, by texting ‘FIRE’ to 80800 or by filling in an online form at www.firescotland.gov.uk.
Chair of the SFRS Board Pat Watters added: “Our staff throughout Scotland work around the clock to keep people safe and there is nothing more upsetting than seeing lives needlessly lost and ruined.
“Every single one of us has a responsibility to play our part. Fire isn’t something that only happens to other people or only concerns emergency responders.
“The messages from firefighters are very clear and everyone in Scotland can play a life-saving role by thinking about fire safety and doing what they can to help protect their community.
“There isn’t a city, town or village in the country that can afford to ignore the warnings and I would urge everyone to understand the risks and join Scotland’s fight against fire.”
