TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF LOWER END, AVON DASSETT

Warwickshire County Council has made a Temporary Traffic Order details as indicated below:

To report any problems with these works or for further details of our current & planned roadworks visit our website www.warwickshire.gov.uk/roadworksmap or call us 01926 412515.

• A new van is being used to trial technology that can detect drivers holding a mobile phone at the wheel and people failing to wear a seatbelt
• It is being trialled in partnership with Warwickshire Police
• The van will also be able to detect tailgating vehicles in the future

New mobile technology capable of automatically detecting motorists who fail to wear a seatbelt or hold mobile phones at the wheel is being trialled in the UK for the first time under plans to boost road safety.

A new van packed with detection equipment has hit England’s motorways and major A-roads as part of a research project carried out alongside Warwickshire Police to understand the scale of the problem around these dangerous motoring offences. As part of this work, drivers will be sent warning letters in partnership with the police force, informing them of the dangers of their actions.

The ‘sensor test vehicle’ is equipped with multiple cameras which can record footage of passing motorists. Images captured by the cameras are processed using artificial intelligence (AI) to determine if motorists were using a handheld mobile phone and drivers and passengers were without a seat belt. The van is also capable of being kitted with additional technology to detect tailgating offences, although this system does not form part of the latest trials in Warwickshire.

The vehicle, which will be stationary at the side of the road while in use, is being trialled over a period of almost three months.

The warning letters, issued by police, will remind drivers that they could be fined up to £500 for not wearing a seat belt in addition to penalty points. Drivers will also be asked to complete a short survey which will be used to inform National Highways’ research. Using the technology in a van will allow National Highways to test it across different types of road to better understand driver behaviour across the network.

The van is initially being employed for a around three months. Findings will inform the next steps and any future deployment.

This research forms part of National Highways’ commitment to road safety as its number one priority. England’s motorways are already among the safest roads globally and the company has an ambitious strategy to further improve safety over the coming years. This includes a long-term commitment to cutting the number of people killed or seriously injured on the strategic road network to zero by 2040.

Government figures show that there were 420 collisions on British roads in 2019 in which the driver was using a mobile phone at the wheel. Separate figures show that failure to wear a seatbelt has been attributed to one in four road deaths.

National Highways Head of Road Safety Jeremy Phillips said:

“Safety remains our top priority and we want everyone to get to their destination safely. Sadly, there are still drivers who do not feel the need to wear a seatbelt, become distracted by their phones or travel too close to the vehicle in front. We want to see if we can change driver behaviour and therefore improve road safety for everyone. Our advice is clear; please leave enough space, buckle up and give the road your full attention.”

Dr Jamie Uff, Technical Director – Strategic Consultancy, Transportation, AECOM, said:

“Despite the often-reported dangers of distracted driving and failing to wear seat belts, the numbers of people killed or seriously injured as a result of these behaviours remain high. The technology AECOM is deploying makes detection straightforward and is providing valuable insight to the police and policy makers on the current level of road user behaviour. We are really keen to use this equipment to raise awareness and help improve road safety for all.”

Inspector Jem Mountford of Warwickshire Police said:

“We are really excited to see the impact that this new technology has on the behaviour of drivers in Warwickshire.

“Our officers deal with the tragic circumstances of collisions where often innocent people have been killed or seriously injured because a driver was distracted by a mobile phone or someone was not wearing a seatbelt.  These collisions are preventable but we need all road users to do the right thing and comply with the law to make our roads safer.

“During the trial the most serious breaches may be prosecuted, with others receiving warning letters, giving us the opportunity to explain how they have been caught and asking them to change their behaviour.  Next time they may not be so lucky.”

Around 25% of road deaths were linked to not wearing a seatbelt in 2018. In the same year, 117 people were killed or seriously injured in a collision where the driver was found to have been distracted. A recent trial of new static road side tailgating cameras on a stretch of the M1 captured 60,343 occasions of vehicles driving too close, in just one year.

The advice from National Highways is clear: leave plenty of space, buckle up and leave your phone alone.

Previous trials and other road safety

AECOM previously worked with Acusensus (road safety AI specialists) to trial a fixed camera that could detect drivers not wearing seatbelts and holding a mobile phone. The fixed camera was installed on the M4 in Berkshire last year and detected nearly 7,000 people failing to belt up and over 25,000 drivers holding their mobile phone in just six months.

It was the first time this technology has been used anywhere in the UK. The same system was deployed for the first time in New South Wales, Australia, in 2019. Over the last two years there has been a significant and sustained reduction in road fatalities compared with other states and territories in Australia.

Separately, National Highways trialled new tailgating cameras on a stretch of the M1 near Northampton. They captured 60,343 instances of vehicles driving too close in one year (October 2020 to September 2021).

Although the research is funded by National Highways, enforcement of motoring offences will remain a matter for individual police forces.

National Highways also operates three HGV cabs that are used by police to monitor driving on the strategic road network. Around 250 dangerous drivers a month are caught as part of the Operation Tramline programme, with handheld mobile phone use and not wearing seatbelts being some of the top offences identified by police.

Stratford District Council have issued the following information for residents who may have questions about the new bin collections:

An enormous amount of work has gone into getting us to the current position with constant work of dedicated officers from both councils working together to address issues, resolve problems and quite simply getting the service operational with minimal disruption. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those involved that have worked under difficult and stressful services to ensure that every resident gets their household waste collected from the 1 August. This has involved:

• 40 different delivery calendars being produced and delivered to the correct households
• the purchase of over 60 new vehicles
• the delivery of over 300,000 new bins to residents across the two districts, including food caddies, food bins and new wheeled recycling bins (in Warwick).

It was always known there would be teething problems along the way, as is inevitable with the mobilisation of any big service change. What is important is how these problems are dealt with. As such we have put steps in place to deal with the anticipated issues in addition to programmed daily meetings with contractors and officers involved to constantly assess the situation and to plan accordingly.

Key messages for residents:

• Regardless of any teething issues all residents will get their waste collected even if they have not received the correct bin at the time of their first collection.
• Deliveries of the food caddies and blue-lidded recycling bins (for WDC residents) are ongoing, but delivery is currently slightly behind schedule. Deliveries will carry on over the weekend and into next week
• Some residents have not received their bins and calendars
• Priority is being given to the delivery of food caddies and the Council is working hard to deliver all of these by 1 August with the additional help of Biffa.

Responses to help with current concerns:

1. I have not received my bins yet – they only need to report this once by emailing 123collections@stratford-dc.gov.uk. One of the problems we are having is residents reporting things several times and it is taking us a considerable time to sift out repeated details. All enquiries go through to the SDC contact centre.  Please encourage everyone to email rather than try to ring as the current volume of calls is incredibly high.
2. I have not received my food caddy – food waste can be put into the garden waste (green) bin temporarily if they’ve subscribed to the garden waste subscription service. Otherwise, food waste can be placed in the grey bin until the new food caddy arrives.
3. I have not received an information book or calendar – you can view the information, collection dates and the schedule on the Council’s website – Bin Collection Information | Stratford-on-Avon District Council

Further information:

• It’s as easy as 123+ with our new app!

You can download the relevant Council app on the App Store or Google Play. Collection dates will be in there from 1 August. Please encourage residents to download the app

• Use the app from 1 August to get bin collection reminders, find out what you can put in which bin, or report a missed collection all in one place.
  Though you can download it now, some features including waste collection dates and notification reminders will only work from 1 August 2022 when the new waste contract is in place.
• Two press releases have been issued this week explaining again what the new service entails and most importantly telling residents what to do if they haven’t received their new bins:
  • 123+ bin deliveries update for residents SDC
  • J26352_123+ 8pp_leaflet_SDC_updated JUL 22_v1
  • The new 123+ refuse and recycling service starts on 1 August SDC

This year’s Open Gardens took place on Sunday 10th July with over 200 visitors to the village. £2,314.20 was raised for NGS and £203.85 for the Parish Council towards the planting of the tubs in the village.

The new bin collection day for Avon Dassett from 4 August 2022 is THURSDAY.

Refuse (grey bins) will be collected every three weeks

Recycling (blue bins) and garden waste (green bins) every two weeks

Food waste (green caddies) every week

Please see our events calendar with details of which bins will be collected each week.

Stratford District Council have created an app which will prompt you to put the correct bins out. For more details see: https://www.stratford.gov.uk/waste-recycling/waste-and-recycling-app.cfm

Stratford upon Avon Job Fair
Fred Winter Centre
41 Guild St, Stratford upon Avon CV37 6QY
Wednesday 27th July
10:00am till 2:00pm
Various employers onsite covering a variety of trades
Full time & part time positions available
Disability confident employers

Do3 operates the open water swimming sessions held at Compton Verney each Tuesday and Thursday night as well as on Sunday mornings.  We are a triathlon coaching company that also does pool based swim squads.

We are organising a triathlon that takes place on Sunday 31st July at Park Farm, Compton Verney.  There are two races of different distances, as follows:

On The Edge – https://www.do3.co.uk/on-the-edge-triathlon c70 participants

A middle distance race featuring a 1.9km swim in the lake at Park Farm, an 86km bike ride around the Warwickshire countryside and a 21km run around Compton Verney/Combrook, on the trails and local roads

A zoomable map for the routes can be found here:

Bike https://www.strava.com/routes/2783747359314340432

Run https://www.strava.com/routes/2927244529547543890

Compton Verney Sprint Triathlon – https://www.do3.co.uk/compton-verney-sprint-triathlon c210 participants

A sprint distance race featuring a 400m swim in the lake at Park Farm, a 21km bike ride around the Warwickshire countryside and a 5km run around Compton Verney/Combrook on the trails and local roads

A zoomable map for the routes can be found here:

Bike https://www.strava.com/routes/2819955789911069372

Run https://www.strava.com/routes/2923924748954485966

We have sought permission from the landowners where we will be using the public footpaths, and the local highways agency for the use of the roads, as well as farmers whose livestock may be affected.

There will be marshals on the routes to assist, we have a private first aid company with two ambulances and a bike breakdown vehicle.  There will be signage for where a marshal isn’t required.  The race is being overseen by British Triathlon and we will have a technical official present at the event.

Foundation welcomes applications for £10k grant to fund community projects in Warwickshire

Organisations and community groups in Warwickshire are being encouraged to apply for a grant of up to £10,000 from the Prime Foundation to help towards local projects or initiatives.

The Foundation invests in communities where Prime has built new facilities by utilising a proportion of profit generated, ensuring that money is invested locally for good causes with each new build.

Prime has developed the 1,600-space surface level car park at University Hospital, Coventry and is now accepting applications from all Warwickshire postcodes. Warwickshire-based projects matching one or more of the foundation’s aims – advancing education outside the classroom, promoting good physical and mental health and/or furthering the enhancement of social wellbeing through recreation – will be considered for full or part funding.

This will be the Prime Foundation’s first grant rolled out in Warwickshire. In 2020, Grosvenor Road Studios (GRS) in Birmingham received funding to update their community-accessible recording suite. Carol Pemberton MBE, Managing Director at GRS, said, “The Prime Foundation has enabled Grosvenor Road Studios to upgrade its resources to improve and widen access for young people who create music outside of mainstream routes and where there is little or no provision for their urban genres.

“Following a free training session, the young people can use our updated facilities to develop their knowledge, skills, and values. This equips them for new opportunities and increases their confidence to meet the challenges they face in life”.

Most recently, the Prime Foundation funded sensory and musical equipment for a local Special Education Needs School in Worcester, where Prime is based. Margaret Jones, Grant Administrator, said, “We were desperately in need of upgrading and adding to our musical instruments across the whole school. We were able to purchase enough equipment to provide all 21 classes with a selection of new percussion instruments.

“For our children who are non-verbal, music opens up a new range of techniques that can be used to encourage their communication skills, where they can have fun and begin to articulate and mimic sounds”.

Hannah Cashmore, spokesperson for the Prime Foundation, said: “We look forward to hearing from the Warwickshire community and to donating funds to local projects and initiatives that dedicate their time to helping others.”

Applications for funding are open from now until the 1^{st of} September 2022. For more information or to make an application visit www.primeplc.com/foundation/apply.

About Prime

Prime plc enables health and care providers to make the most of their spaces so everyone can experience better care. We unlock complex estate management challenges with leading industry-specific legal, financial and property planning solutions, and work with your partners to see the projects through master planning to delivery. For more information, please see www.primeplc.com

Mid-England Barrow have been awarded a grant from WCC from the loneliness and social isolation fund.

They have donated the use of our business space, ’The Safari Tent’ so that they can run 2 hour sessions where people can come along to very informal groups for a chat, cuppa, slice of homemade cake, and, if they wish to, to learn a new skill. It’s situated in the beautiful English countryside, is very pretty and peaceful.

They are hoping that the group will evolve to cover topics of interest to those who come along. The first group will incorporate paper flower making, and jigsaw puzzles, so that they can then tailor-make future sessions.

Places are limited, so booking will be essential.

The proposed dates are:

7th July
14th July
4th Aug
1st Sept
8th Sept
15th Sept.

The sessions are run 1-3 at ’The Safari Tent’, Fenny Compton Road, Farnborough OX17 1FA, and people are welcome to book for all or some of the sessions.

For further information contact:
Sarah Smart
Director, Mid-England Barrow Ltd
Tel: 07791807970
www.mid-englandbarrow.co.uk
info@mid-englandbarrow.co.uk