In taking up this challenging post, let me first say what a privilege it is to be chairing an organisation with such a successful record of bringing about a co-ordinated approach to tackling key road safety issues throughout the West of Scotland region.

This continuing success story has been brought into sharp focus by the outstanding achievements of the past year. Building on the vastly improved casualty figures amongst young drivers and their passengers recorded since our Hero to Zero campaign began in 2007, a new initiative – which quickly became popularly known amongst its target audience as the 'Numpty' campaign – generated a huge amount of interest when it was launched in the early summer of 2009. Incorporating posters, beer mats and radio advertising, this highly effective campaign used the angle of peer pressure to bring home the potential personal consequences to a young inexperienced driver of inappropriate or, indeed, downright dangerous driving behaviour.

This was quickly followed by a new Twenty's Plenty campaign to coincide with the extension of 20mph zones to more high-risk residential areas throughout the region. Local community distribution of information leaflets was backed up by a highly emotive radio campaign highlighting the particular danger to children of excessive driving speed in such areas.

Ongoing plans include a new awareness campaign concentrating on the hidden dangers of driving on country roads – currently accounting for approximately three quarters of road fatalities across Scotland and 58% of all serious road accidents, with the West of Scotland being no exception!

It's going to be an exciting year ahead, and I very much look forward to working with fellow Forum members to build further on the achievements of the past and make West of Scotland's roads a safer place for all in the future.

Councillor Betty Cunningham
West Dunbartonshire Council

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