Road users urged to share the road responsibly as national operation starts next week
West Mercia Police has urged all road users to do what they can to stay safe on the county's roads, as a national operation is set to begin next week.
The operation is being run across the UK from September 18 to September 24 and is co-ordinated by NPCC, the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
It will focus on various road users, including people on cycle, motorbike, horse or foot, with the aim of improving road safety for the most vulnerable groups.
When looking at casualty rate per billion miles travelled, motorcycles, cyclists and pedestrians are involved in more collisions than any other group.
Superintendent Steph Brighton for West Mercia Police said: “With people embracing sustainable forms of transport, like cycling, it’s more important than ever for all road users to think about their presence on the roads and the impact they have.
"We’re urging all motorists to be aware of our more vulnerable road users, take extra care and make that extra check at junctions and when overtaking cyclists, horses or motorbikes make sure you keep your speed down and leave enough space.
"It’s all of our responsibility to ensure that our roads are shared responsibly and that we are respectful of all road users.
"We’re encouraging cyclists and pedestrians to think about how visible they are and reminding cyclists that it is a legal requirement for bikes to have both front and rear lights.”
Along with raising awareness, officers will be covering a variety of operational activities including Operation Close Pass, monitoring how close motorists are overtaking cyclists, and Operation Snap, the initiative where members of the public can submit footage of dangerous driving to be processed by a police officer.
