Ride it Right campaign

A high profile road safety campaign is urging the county’s bikers to ride carefully and is asking drivers to be more aware of bikes to help improve road safety.

The annual ‘Ride it Right’ campaign is being co-ordinated by the Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership. The yellow signs are displayed on specific roads to help remind both bikers and motorists to ‘Think Bike’ and ‘Ride Safely’.

Since the first campaign back in 2006, the campaigns have helped to reduce the number of incidents and collisions involving bikers. This year’s campaign is also being supported by the Staffordshire Biker Booklet, being distributed to riders in the county and Stoke-on-Trent, with information on the routes and advice on staying safe on the roads.

James Bailey, Assistant Director for Highways and the Built County at Staffordshire County Council said: “Staffordshire has some of the safest roads in the country, which is something we are very proud of and have worked hard to achieve. Around this time of year, with the better weather, we usually see an increase in the number of bikers on the roads, so now is a good time to remind them of the importance of safe riding. But as well as targeting bikers, we’re also asking drivers to do their bit too, by being more aware of bikers and doing what they can to keep all road users safe. Bikers only represent around 1% of all traffic on our roads but they make up 28% of those killed or seriously injured and that’s why we run campaigns like this.”

The Ride it Right routes for 2021 are:

A34 Newcastle to Stafford
A52 Newcastle to Bucknall
A460 Rugeley to Wolverhampton
A511 Tutbury to Bretby
A518 Stafford to Uttoxeter
A520 Meir Heath to Weston Coyney
A5272 Chell to Weston Coyney
B5051 Longport to Endon