Capita Symonds is involved in many areas of transport work that all include at some level a common aim, to bring about an improvement in road safety in Cumbria.   We are committed to assisting Cumbria County Council in efforts to reduce injuries sustained on Cumbria roads and attain significant reductions, in line with or better than, the casualty reduction targets set by the Government for 2010.    It is keen to work in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders to most efficiently achieve these targets and endeavour to support and encourage all road safety activities as part of the Cumbria Highways team.  

In terms of specific safety work, Capita Symonds is involved in the analysis of accident data as part of the dual processes of carrying out studies at hazardous locations and providing a full road safety education, training and publicity (ETP) service throughout the County.   On the whole, the road safety function is progressed in consultation with other stakeholders who collectively form the Cumbria Road Safety Partnership.   

The studies result in the implementation of engineering safety schemes and danger reduction schemes on the ground, while the ETP work is a constantly rolling programme aimed at improving road safety awareness and highlighting the factors which contribute to accident causation and casualty severity. The company also carries out many road safety audits and cycle audits of highway schemes to ensure that new highway improvements are themselves not inherently unsafe.   

Capita Symonds employs five Road Safety Education Officers, who work to promote road safety education and training for and on behalf of Cumbria County Council.   Much of the Road Safety Officers' (RSOs) work is with children and schools and attempts to promote safe practices and to influence responsible attitudes to using and sharing roads.

Wherever possible they attempt to compliment the work of other agencies who may from time to time visit schools giving out road safety advice, such as Cumbria Constabulary and Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, and the Driving Standards Agency.   Uniquely, however, they attempt to help schools look at ways of integrating road safety into classroom topics and national curriculum subject areas, and to encourage schools to include the subject as often as possible during the school term.   In order to assist teachers with this work, they attend teaching staff meetings and are able to provide or advise on the availability of resources.

The Road Safety Officers administer and assist with practical pedestrian skills training for infant schools and on-road cycle training in junior schools. Every site used for these activities is risk assessed by the RSOs.   On-road supervised pedestrian skills training and cycle training has been identified by the Department for Transport as the most effective and realistic way of teaching the Green Cross Code and safe cycling skills.   The RSOs rely on volunteer helpers to act as instructors and ask schools to suggest suitable candidates for this work.   The RSOs provide the training for the instructors which is delivered either as site specific on-the-job training or at area based centralised training sites.

The team are happy to provide information and possibly loan or help locate resources for other groups too, including nursery units and playgroups, secondary schools, youth groups, and adult organisations.  The Road Safety Officers work closely with the Better Ways to School team especially in areas such as cycle training and the establishment of walking bus schemes.

They also actively support publicity campaigns organised by the Cumbria Road Safety Partnership and the Department of Transport with frequent appearances at exhibitions and in the press, on television and radio.