Latest news with #ChrisRadburn
Glasgow Times
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Glasgow Times
Cyclists send record amount of video to police showing close passes by drivers
Some 15,779 clips of incidents were submitted to forces in England and Wales last year, information obtained by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart found. That is more than double the total of 7,249 in 2021. Many cyclists capture footage of their journeys, with basic cameras available for under £50. IAM RoadSmart sent a Freedom of Information request to 43 police forces asking how many pieces of footage showing a close pass of a cyclist by a motorist were submitted as part of Operation Snap, an initiative introduced in 2017. Twenty forces provided data. The responses show the percentage of reports leading to a notice of intended prosecution being served rose from 38% in 2021 to 54% last year. A separate survey of 655 drivers who are members of IAM RoadSmart indicated that 58% are not aware the Highway Code recommends the minimum gap they should leave when passing cyclists is 1.5 metres (4.9ft). Harriet Hernando, the charity's active travel spokeswoman, said: 'It is extremely concerning that more than half of motorists don't know how much space to give a cyclist when overtaking. 'Passing too closely to a cyclist can be intimidating and dangerous, especially if they need to move out to avoid a pothole. 'It is small wonder then that record numbers of cyclists are installing cameras and submitting footage of dangerous or careless drivers to the police. 'While it is heartening to see that prosecution rates have increased, it would be better if it didn't reach that stage and motorists weren't doing it in the first place.' Provisional Department for Transport figures show 85 cyclists were killed on Britain's roads in 2024. Between 2019 and 2023, most cyclist fatalities occurred in collisions involving a car. The campaign is aimed at eradicating closes passes by motorists (Chris Radburn/PA) IAM RoadSmart has launched a No More Close Calls campaign aimed at eradicating close passes. Ms Hernando said: 'When overtaking a cyclist, always look beyond them to judge your ability to get past safely, leaving at least 1.5 metres of space when overtaking at speeds of up to 30mph and give them more space when overtaking at higher speeds. 'By hanging back two or three car lengths, you'll be able to see further up the road and look out for oncoming traffic. 'If it isn't safe to overtake then don't try and squeeze past – shaving seconds off your journey isn't worth taking someone's life.' Duncan Dollimore, head of campaigns at Cycling UK, said it has 'not seen the big safety impact we'd hoped for' from changes to the Highway Code in 2022 providing more protection to cyclists. He went on: 'The majority of people who drive simply aren't aware how much distance to give to people who cycle when overtaking. 'This is why it's crucial to educate all road users of their responsibility to protect those most vulnerable.' He called on the Government to 'address this oversight by better promoting the new Highway Code'. A Department for Transport spokesperson said: 'We take road safety extremely seriously, and there are already strict penalties in place for those who put the safety of cyclists at risk. 'Our roads are among the safest in the world, but we are always looking to improve.'
Western Telegraph
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Western Telegraph
Cyclists send record amount of video to police showing close passes by drivers
Some 15,779 clips of incidents were submitted to forces in England and Wales last year, information obtained by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart found. That is more than double the total of 7,249 in 2021. Passing too closely to a cyclist can be intimidating and dangerous Harriet Hernando, IAM RoadSmart Many cyclists capture footage of their journeys, with basic cameras available for under £50. IAM RoadSmart sent a Freedom of Information request to 43 police forces asking how many pieces of footage showing a close pass of a cyclist by a motorist were submitted as part of Operation Snap, an initiative introduced in 2017. Twenty forces provided data. The responses show the percentage of reports leading to a notice of intended prosecution being served rose from 38% in 2021 to 54% last year. A separate survey of 655 drivers who are members of IAM RoadSmart indicated that 58% are not aware the Highway Code recommends the minimum gap they should leave when passing cyclists is 1.5 metres (4.9ft). 85 Cyclists killed on British roads in 2024 Department for Transport Harriet Hernando, the charity's active travel spokeswoman, said: 'It is extremely concerning that more than half of motorists don't know how much space to give a cyclist when overtaking. 'Passing too closely to a cyclist can be intimidating and dangerous, especially if they need to move out to avoid a pothole. 'It is small wonder then that record numbers of cyclists are installing cameras and submitting footage of dangerous or careless drivers to the police. 'While it is heartening to see that prosecution rates have increased, it would be better if it didn't reach that stage and motorists weren't doing it in the first place.' Provisional Department for Transport figures show 85 cyclists were killed on Britain's roads in 2024. Between 2019 and 2023, most cyclist fatalities occurred in collisions involving a car. The campaign is aimed at eradicating closes passes by motorists (Chris Radburn/PA) IAM RoadSmart has launched a No More Close Calls campaign aimed at eradicating close passes. Ms Hernando said: 'When overtaking a cyclist, always look beyond them to judge your ability to get past safely, leaving at least 1.5 metres of space when overtaking at speeds of up to 30mph and give them more space when overtaking at higher speeds. 'By hanging back two or three car lengths, you'll be able to see further up the road and look out for oncoming traffic. 'If it isn't safe to overtake then don't try and squeeze past – shaving seconds off your journey isn't worth taking someone's life.' Duncan Dollimore, head of campaigns at Cycling UK, said it has 'not seen the big safety impact we'd hoped for' from changes to the Highway Code in 2022 providing more protection to cyclists. He went on: 'The majority of people who drive simply aren't aware how much distance to give to people who cycle when overtaking. Our roads are among the safest in the world, but we are always looking to improve Department for Transport spokesperson 'This is why it's crucial to educate all road users of their responsibility to protect those most vulnerable.' He called on the Government to 'address this oversight by better promoting the new Highway Code'. A Department for Transport spokesperson said: 'We take road safety extremely seriously, and there are already strict penalties in place for those who put the safety of cyclists at risk. 'Our roads are among the safest in the world, but we are always looking to improve.'
Straits Times
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Villa denied Champions League spot as Man Utd end woeful season with victory
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Aston Villa - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 25, 2025 Manchester United's Amad Diallo scores their first goal REUTERS/Chris Radburn Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Aston Villa - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 25, 2025 Manchester United's Christian Eriksen scores their second goal from the penalty spot REUTERS/Chris Radburn Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Aston Villa - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - May 25, 2025 Manchester United's Amad Diallo in action with Aston Villa's Ian Maatsen REUTERS/Chris Radburn MANCHESTER, England - Manchester United ended their disappointing season with a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on Sunday on the final day of the Premier League campaign, denying the visitors a Champions League qualification spot in the process. United surprisingly dominated the first half against a side chasing a top-five finish, with the hosts' cause aided further after Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was sent off just before the break. Against the run of play, Morgan Rogers appeared to have netted Villa a crucial goal 18 minutes from time, but referee Thomas Bramall ruled that he had fouled United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir before slotting home. Furious Villa's mood worsened after Amad Diallo immediately headed the hosts in front down the other end, before Christian Eriksen's penalty ensured United finished 15th and sixth-placed Villa had to settle for a place in the Europa League next term. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Scotsman
20-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
How Labour could make Scotland's university funding crisis even worse
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Economic growth is the holy grail for this and every government, and an essential factor in achieving that is education. But in Scotland, as across the rest of the UK, the policies of Keir Starmer's government are creating an increasing challenge for our universities. Of course, much of that is the result of the funding structure created by Holyrood. But the pressure on their finances has been ratcheted up several notches by the increases to employers' national insurance contributions, and by confusion surrounding immigration proposals, which if they go ahead would undermine their ability to attract international students. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A clarification late last week suggested Scotland might be spared this blow, despite the fact that was never mentioned when I raised it in parliament. All fingers will be crossed, hoping to avoid a bill which Universities Scotland estimated at £85 million a year. Universities are vitally important to the economy and are facing difficult times financially (Picture: Chris Radburn) | PA International students in love But even without it the picture is challenging. Dundee University recently announced 300 redundancies – down from an original figure of 700 – while the University of Aberdeen has warned of around 70 job losses because of a £5.5m hole in its finances. International income is vital not just to Scottish but to all British universities. The ability to attract international students is both an indicator of an institution's reputation and a vital source of finance, particularly with the difficulties faced with the current funding model in Scotland. When I began my time as a university teacher, I had two foreign students in a class of 30. Ten years later, that number was approaching 50 per cent of a larger group. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In my career, I have also come across doctors, scientists, industrialists and entrepreneurs who came to study at our world-renowned universities, fell in love, either with our country or an individual, and then went on to make significant contributions to our economy and culture. Following my calls for a visa route to be established for Americans who no longer want to live under a Trump presidency, I have received numerous emails from US residents who have degrees from Scottish universities, and who told me how they put their education into practice in our country. How they paid their taxes, and became part of their communities. Damaging UK's reputation and economy Labour's immigration proposals would undermine our potential to continue to attract those young people, the best and brightest of their generation, by putting a price tag on their heads for our educational institutions. If universities in any part of the UK cannot afford to teach them, they will find it difficult to afford to teach those who attend from here. Their loss will undermine our international reputation, our scientific and medical research potential and also our economy. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The income from international students is now greater than that from domestic students. The funding model is broken, but to punish both students, teachers and the institutions as a whole is not a solution. If education is the communication of knowledge, then it is naïve at best to think we do not need to learn from those beyond our own borders. Tony Blair once famously spoke of the three most important priorities of his party as being, 'education, education, education'. His successors might benefit from going back to school.
Wales Online
20-05-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
Cow 'humanely culled' after case of BSE found on farm
Cow 'humanely culled' after case of BSE found on farm The chief veterinary officer has made a statement The cow was tested (Image: Chris Radburn/PA ) A single case of atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) has been confirmed on a farm in Essex, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) said. The UK government said the animal had been humanely culled and there was no risk to public health or food safety as the cow was not destined to enter the food chain. Atypical BSE is a non-contagious disease in cows which is different from 'classical' BSE, which is linked to contaminated feed. Chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss said: 'A single case of atypical BSE has been confirmed on a farm in Essex. The animal died on farm and was tested as part of our strict routine controls and surveillance regime. 'Atypical BSE is distinct from classical BSE and is a spontaneously and sporadically occurring, non-contagious disease which is believed to occur at a very low level in all cattle populations. This is proof that our surveillance system for detecting and containing this type of disease is working.' Article continues below Millions of cattle were culled in the UK in the 1990s during a BSE epidemic.
