Cumbria County Council, as the lead partner in the Local Transport Plan, develops an agreed framework for all road safety initiatives within the county.   The council invests the road safety budgets in engineering, education and publicity targeted on casualty reduction and maintains a strategic overview of all road safety initiatives within the county. The council also sustains a role as a "hub" for all data and analysis collected and by agencies for dissemination to relevant parties. 

Its role at the nucleus of road safety initiatives sees the county council LTP team coordinating inter-agency co-operation and partnership working.   This strategic overview prevents duplication of effort and ensures the effective use of resources. Partnership working streamlines decision making processes and ensures the swift and effective - and cost-effective - resolution to areas of concern and that LTP targets are met or exceeded.

The county council facilitates decision making procedures through professional management of each agency's individual skills and areas of expertise and blending them into a cohesive and focused solution to existing and emerging areas of concern.

These areas include:

• Engineering - management of engineering safety schemes to combat existing casualty rates and areas where preventative measures are necessary. This ranges from re-engineering road layouts and surfaces to the placement of interactive signs.

• Education - directing road safety officers employed by Capita to direct cycling proficiency courses and better ways to school initiatives such as walking buses for young children. Adult oriented initiatives such as targeting professional drivers are also supported

• Enforcement - provision of data and intelligence to Cumbria Constabulary to support shared road safety objectives and the use of safety camera operations to reduce excessive and inappropriate speeds and cut casualty collisions

• Publicity - co-ordination of media messages from partners strengthens the public's opinion about road safety topics and reinforces the belief that all partners are working together on the community's behalf.