Winter will soon be upon us and with it brings many additional driving hazards. But with planning and preparation these can be made much less of a risk.

There are three main elements to any winter driving scenario which we can influence:

1. Driving ability
2. Vehicle preparedness and suitability
3. Journey planning.

Visit our Driving in Safely in Winter page to read more and get some good advice – Click here

Remember:

Driving Safely, in Winter, requires:

PREPARATION – PREPARATION – PREPARATION

This webinar is intended for mature drivers, their families, friends, and carers.

It provides advice on how to prepare for winter driving including:

• Driver ability
• Vehicle preparedness
• Journey planning

     We are delighted that Max Kelly, from Highways Gloucestershire will be a guest     contributor. Max will provide insights on how Highways will keep our roads safe during the winter. This includes the important role of the community in reporting road condition issues.

Please share this invitation with anyone for whom this could be of value.

If they are not comfortable with zoom why not host a viewing at your home or community facility.

For log on details email odfglos@gmail.com  

Places are limited so if you register and then are unable to attend please let us know.  

The Government has announced a new 30-point plan it says will support drivers with easier parking, smoother journeys and fairer traffic enforcement.

To read all about the plan click here

The plan includes measures that could help councils increase spending on fixing potholes and road repairs, such as fining companies for overrunning roadworks.

It also features funding to improve traffic lights and signals, as well as measures to speed up the installation of chargepoints for electric vehicles.

Mark Harper, transport secretary, said: “We’re backing drivers and our new long-term plan will improve journeys for millions across the country, whether they’re commuting to work or college, parking up for a day trip, or charging their electric car. 

“Our plan for drivers will support thousands of skilled jobs and help grow the economy, sitting alongside our continued record investment in public transport and active travel – ensuring people have the freedom to travel how they want.”

The plan centres around five key areas: making journeys smoother, stopping ‘unfair’ enforcement, making parking easier, tackling inconsiderate driving and supporting the transition to zero emission driving.

A total of £70 million will be provided to councils this financial year through three different schemes to invest in improving traffic lights and signals, including AI tech to optimise traffic flow in city centres.

The plan also reveals the intention to digitise traffic regulation orders, to pave the way for autonomous vehicles and ensure satnavs have the most up-to-date information on the location of parking spaces, road closures and speed limits.

Other measures to make journey smoother include:

• strengthening guidance to make sure bus lanes operate only when buses are running
• guiding local authorities on allowing motorcycles to use bus lanes and holding a consultation about whether motorcycle access should be standard
• permitting red flashing lights for breakdown vehicles, helping to protect recovery drivers by making them more visible at the roadside
• supporting councils to introduce more lane rental schemes, which reduce roadworks by incentivising utilities to avoid the busiest roads at the busiest times
• consulting on requiring local authorities with lane rental schemes to use at least 50% of any surplus on pothole repairs or resurfacing
• consulting on extending fines for overrunning street works at weekends and increasing fixed penalty notices

With regards to ‘stopping unfair enforcement’, the plan sets out the following measures::

• issuing 20mph zone guidance for England to help prevent ‘inappropriate blanket use’.
• consulting on measures including the removal of local authorities’ access to DVLA data to enforce such schemes by camera
• focusing on the importance of local support and consider as part of the LTN review how to address existing LTNs that have not secured local consent
• strengthening government and sector-led guidance on enforcement of moving traffic offences such as entering yellow box junctions, to ensure consistency and stop drivers from being penalised unfairly

Webinars

As we approach the 1st October, ‘Older Persons day’, we are keen to assist you with a number of useful FREE webinars to assist you or the mature driver in your life to Carry on Driving Safely for Longer.

Below are three FREE webinars you may like to join are OPEN to anyone in the UK:

Saturday 30th September @ 10am – ‘Concerned about a Mature Driver? We can help’

This webinar is open to anyone in the UK. The webinar is run on Zoom and is intended for families, friends, and carers concerned about a mature driver, and includes information on the impact of medications and dementia on fitness to drive. To register your free place then send email by Clicking here

Tuesday 3rd October between 1pm and 2.15pm – ‘Compensating for Ageing Effects on Driving’
To register your free place then Click here

Thursday 5th October between 10am and 11.15am – ‘Is you Driving as Safe as You Think It Is?‘
To register your free place then Click here

Important notes re the above two webinars:

1. This event takes place using MS Teams, but you do not need this downloaded on your device – simply join online.
2. Your camera and microphone will be turned off during the event, but you will be able to communicate with the presenters through the Q & A function that is available.
3. The event will be recorded and made available to all attendees as well as other interested parties.
4. Please try to join at least 10 minutes before the start time in case of any problems.
5. If you register and then decide not to attend, please cancel your space by clicking on the relevant part at the bottom of your confirmation email.

We hope this presentation will be helpful and interesting to you.