Apply now and make YOUR roads safer

COMMUNITIES in and around the Yeovil area who are worried about road safety could gain help from a new police-led funding project.

A new fund has been set-up to help communities make their roads safer. The Road Safety Fund is administered by the Avon and Somerset Police Community Trust.

Its aims include helping communities to reduce accidents and casualties across the force area and improve education and training for children, learners and inexperienced drivers.

The fund was set up from the fees paid by drivers who attend the national Speed Awareness Course after being found to be driving over the speed limit. A proportion of the £80 fee is passed on to Avon and Somerset Police to cover the costs of the speed enforcement unit, ensuring it is self-funding.

During 2012 there was a small surplus after the running costs were met, which the Force has built up into the Road Safety Fund. Now the police have pledged that any future surplus will continue to be paid into the Road Safety Fund to be used to improve safety on the local roads affected by speeding drivers.

Trust chairman Bea Salter said: "This new fund is very exciting for the communities of the Avon and Somerset policing area, as it will assist in making our local roads even safer."

Road safety officer, PC Dave Adams, said: "Hearing that the Police Community Trust is channelling funds from those caught speeding towards those put at risk by inappropriate driving is positive news. This fund will make a real difference.

“Funding new road safety projects will ensure that much-needed support is available to those who will truly benefit, especially the young and other vulnerable groups."

The Trust was created in 1999 to help communities become safer, better places to live and has always supported projects aiming to improve road safety across the Avon and Somerset policing area, including:
• high visibility waistcoats for children for 'walking bus' schemes at more than 240 nursery and primary schools.
• a role-play set including traffic lights and a zebra crossing to help neighbourhood policing teams give interactive road safety advice to nursery and primary school children.
• speed monitoring and other equipment for Community Speed Watch volunteers.

Now they hope to support even more local projects and are encouraging people to complete grant requests through the website www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/pct .

The Trustees meet quarterly to consider applications in April, July, October and January. Applications should be submitted six weeks in advance of Trust meetings - visit the website (above) for full details of how to apply.

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