UK is faced with a strange situation. Since the coalition Government took over in May, budget cuts have been announced in the area of transportation funding. In an estimate around there is a likelihood of around 25% reduction in the available funding on the transportation segment.
This year, the reduction is even more high. There is a 40% reduction in the transport and road safety grants for this year. Capital grants for setting up the road infrastructure is down by 17% and revenue grant is down by 27%, thus pushing road safety on the back.
Although immediate concerns have been raised on the issue by many non-Government organizations and private trusts it remains to be seen if the Government reconsiders its decision.
It is common knowledge that old truck and fleet vehicles are major contributors to environmental pollution. This is a well know fact across the world, and we all know that developing countries seldom care for environment in an effort to conserve costs. You will find high number of used vehicles, truck and bigger fleet vehicles in developing countries. It appears that everyone has thrown caution to wind as far as air pollution is concerned.
Amongst this fact, it is gladdening to note that the Port of Seattle area has benefitted with the latest decision of Puget Sound Clean Air Agency. Ithas decided to retire 200 old trucks to clean the air and conserve air and breathing quality. This program focuses on retiring old polluting trucks by giving the owners $5000 or the blue book value, which ever is higher.
The aim or rationale behind such a move is to prevent the release of 2.8 tons of toxic matter in the air and to make air quality better.
The end result is not only a healthy environment, but a better road to drive on.
Inexpensive maintenance and upkeep of roads can help in making roads safer and better for driving. We always believed that the road safety depends on the condition of the road alongside the way vehicles are being driven. And you need to understand that bigger fleet trucks have a big role to play in safe driving to ensure roads remain safe.
A study by a UK foundation has just listed the best and the worst roads in the UK. The rating is based on road safety records of the roads across the entire UK. As part of the analysis of the road safety records, the foundation has found out that the best road to drive in the UK has emerged the safest road due to its re-surfacing and overall good condition.
The foundation has laid out improved drainage, and safer junctions as other contributing factors for enhanced road safety. This study definitely calls for better maintenance and periodic updates on the condition of the roads and the signals to make driving a safer option.
Arizona residents would have heaved a sigh of relief as the photo enforcement of traffic violations will continue in Arizona. The opponents of the photo-enforcement could not muster the required number of votes to force for a statewide referendum to ban the use of technology in enforcing traffic violations.
Use of technology has been successful in an effort to check violations like red-light jumping and other associated traffic violations like driving at speeds higher than the prescribed limits. Analysts cite the reduction in number of over speeding cases by nearly 90% in Tucson, a Arizona city. On a similar basis red-light violations have decreased by 29%.
And the fact that Arizona public has given a big support to the use of cameras means that the public has accepted the use of technology to make road safety a significant gain. If only other States would follow suit and improve road safety by implementing technology to check traffic violations.
Well, we can only hope for the best.
Stena Line is readying itself for a record summer as the recent ash cloud phenomenon appears set to continue to blight travel arrangements for the foreseeable future.