Merseyside Police have taken to Church Street, the city centre, to unveil a giant 20 Effect wreath in the shape of a traffic roundel.
The stunt was in support of Liverpool’s dedicated speed reduction campaign The 20 Effect; it was held in order to help promote road safety and highlight the dangers and potential outcomes of driving at speed.
The wreath, donated by Cunningham’s Florist, bore words depicting family members in an attempt to engage with passers-by in what was an emotive visual. Merseyside Police also had a mobile unit on site to advise shoppers what The 20 Effect is about and the greater impact of driving at slower speed on residential roads. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service will also be on hand to offer advice. Representatives will be on site with a stunt vehicle used to show the impact of hazardous driving.
Joe Anderson, the first elected mayor of Liverpool, officially launched the first phase of 20mph street signage as Liverpool’s residential roads become 20mph back in December. The 20mph signs are currently being installed in and around areas including Old Swan, Kensington and Tuebrook.
Liverpool City Council and Liverpool Primary Care Trust (PCT), with the backing of Merseyside Police and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services, launched the initiative looking to increase the number of residential roads with 20mph speed limits.
Colette O’Donnell, Manager at Cunningham’s Florist said: “We were more than happy to support The 20 Effect campaign with the by donating the wreath. It was certainly a big task in creating it due to the sheer size! However the campaign is one that can potentially save lives and we understand the importance of slower speeds on residential roads. It’s a message we want to help get across to the public which is why we were happy to get involved.”
Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, Councillor Tim Moore, said: “Unveiling this wreath in the heart of the city centre was a great way to communicate road safety messages and promote the on-going work of our 20 Effect campaign, to thousands of local people. It provided a hard-hitting symbol of the devastation caused by accidents on the road, and served as a powerful reminder of the importance of speed reduction.”
Watch Manager John Cousins from Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service said: “This was an event that really aimed to raise awareness about the dangers of speeding on Merseyside’s roads. The Fire and Rescue Service plays an important part in the wider community safety agenda and, in particular, to the reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.
We fully support initiatives such as the 20 Effect that aim to help make Merseyside’s roads safer for everyone. We rescue more people from crashes on Merseyside’s roads than we do from house fires and we work throughout the year to reduce the numbers that are killed or injured as a result of collisions.”
Chief Inspector John Hogan, Head of Merseyside Police’s Roads Policing Department said: “Last year over 500 people were injured on the roads of Merseyside and 20 people lost their lives as a result of a road traffic collision.
“This event marks the beginning of a new year, a year in which our officers will be working harder than ever to reduce this number and to make Merseyside’s roads safer for everyone. Events like this raise awareness of the dangers of driving carelessly and give people the opportunity to speak directly to our officers to find out more about how we are working to improve road safety in 2013.
“We support the 20 mph speed limits and believe that the limit has the potential to produce a safer and secure environment for all road users – whether they be cyclists, pedestrians or motorists.”
