We’re supporting National Road Safety Week

We’re supporting Brake’s National Road Safety Week from Sunday 16 November to Saturday 22 November. Across the week, we’ll be sharing hints and tips on how you can stay safe on our roads. 

This year’s campaign, led by road safety charity Brake, focuses on the theme “Safe Vehicles Save Lives”, highlighting the critical role vehicle safety plays in preventing crashes and reducing harm when they do occur.

Through Barnsley’s Safer Roads Partnership, we’re committed to reducing road traffic collisions and serious incidents on our roads. Together we work with partners from South Yorkshire Police, South Yorkshire Fire, Yorkshire Ambulance service and highways England to enhance road safety in our borough. At the heart of Barnsley’s approach is the Safer Roads Strategy 2023–2033. This strategy sets ambitious targets and a vision of zero fatalities or serious injuries by 2050.

Our recent achievements

• We launched a young driver campaign - Don’t Drive Daft
  Launched in November 2024, our Don’t Drive Daft campaign is a bold Barnsley initiative targeting young drivers aged 17–24. Together with the Barnsley Safer Roads Partnership, we identified this group that represents a disproportionately high number of road traffic casualties in our borough. The campaign, developed in partnership with Barnsley College, uses real stories, videos, and interactive materials to raise awareness of the five leading causes of fatal or serious collisions on speeding, not wearing seatbelts, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and distractions.
• 20mph School Safety Scheme
  We developed a pilot project to install advisory '20mph when lights show' signs outside five schools. The pilot was successful, and the project has been expanded to 24 schools across our borough, with 7 more to follow soon.
• Our Highways Team are continuously reviewing our road networks, carrying out road safety audits and analysing road traffic collisions. Find out more about our Highways Schemes including recent improvements coming to Great Houghton.
  Through our Capital Maintenance Programme we also carry out a regular assessment of road conditions, identifying areas in need of repair, and implementing long-term solutions to prevent further deterioration.
• Engagement with schools and residents
  We’re committed to raising awareness of road safety with young people. In Barnsley we encourage schools to join our Junior Road Safety Scheme. We’ve also been work with the Riot Act who have been performing in Barnsley schools on Road Safety throughout the year. We have lots of resources available for young people and schools on our website. 
  We also held our first Road Safety Day in the Glass Works Square.

Cllr James Higginbottom, Cabinet Spokesperson for Environment and Highways, said: “I’m proud of our commitment to improving road Safety in Barnsley and ongoing work to target younger drivers.”

“Road Safety Week is a vital opportunity to remind everyone that safe vehicles and responsible driving save lives.

“Through our Barnsley Safer Roads partnership and Safer Roads Strategy, we’re working towards a vision of zero fatalities or serious injuries by 2050.”

Cllr Wendy Cain, Cabinet Spokesperson for Public Health and Communities, said: “I’m pleased to see we are supporting National Road Safety Week once again.”

“The safety of everyone who uses Barnsley’s roads, from drivers and pedestrians to cyclists, horse riders and beyond, is of utmost importance.

“Our Don’t Drive Daft campaign targets younger drivers, but all drivers can take the messages included in the videos and apply them to their own driving behaviour. Whether that is avoiding distractions, not driving under the influence of drugs or drink and not speeding on our roads.”

For more information, visit our Safer Roads Barnsley webpage.