SOUTH AYRSHIRE LEADS THE WAY IN MOTORCYCLE SAFETY

Pictured displaying an example of the new signs are (left to right) PC Sandy Phillips, Ayrshire Road Policing Unit, Councillor Peter Convery, Colin Nisbet, Ayr Motorcycle Centre, Sgt Sandy Douglas, Ayrshire Road Policing Unit and Janis McLellan, Council Road Safety Officer.

Spring is in the air, the weather is improving and many motorcyclists, whose bikes have been in storage during the winter months, are getting them ready for the 2008 biker season.

South Ayrshire Council is the first Council in Scotland to introduce high visibility road safety signs on routes where there is a history of motorcycle road crashes.   Ten highly visibility road safety signs will be placed along the B7023 from Maybole to Pennyglen and along the A719 from the Electric Brae to Maidens to warn motorcyclists to be extra careful.

Councillor Peter Convery, the Council's Portfolio Carrier for Environment and Sustainability issues said:   "We have consulted the people that we want to target and we have listened to them.   It is important that motorcyclists, both local and ones visiting this area, stay safe on our roads, one accident is one too many.   The signs will warn motorcyclists to take extra care, but very importantly they will also let drivers of other vehicles know that motorcyclists use the route and they need to take extra car.   I believe that the new signs will help to keep more people safe on our roads.  

The Council takes road safety seriously, so it is targeting motorcyclists after analysing the road crashes and casualties in South Ayrshire over the three year period of 2004 to 2006 which showed:

•  5% of all casualties were motorcyclists.
•  There is a peak of casualties at the 40 to 44 year age group.
•  68% of all crashes that result in people being killed or seriously injured took place on rural roads within South Ayrshire.
•  Riders are predominately male, over 25 years of age and riding bikes over 500cc engine size.

Council Road Safety Officers have spent time consulting with motor bike users who have told them that they feel the best way to address this problem is through signs telling riders that they are travelling on a high risk route.   That is why the Council is strategically placing special road signs to warn motorcyclists to take extra care.