Funding secured for innovative road safety project in Salford

Salford City Council’s Road Safety Team have been successful in securing funding for a targeted innovative road safety project, which will be rolled out this autumn.

The funding from Safer Roads Greater Manchester supports the council’s work towards reducing road casualties in line with Vision Zero and is based on analysis of collisions in areas with disproportionate levels of child road casualties, particularly pedestrians.

Based on this analysis, the collision investigation team identified hotspot neighbourhood areas and the schools located within these catchment areas, which includes:

• East Salford
• The Quays, Ordsall, Pendleton and Charlestown
• Cadishead and Lower Irlam, Higher Irlam and Peel Green
• Eccles, Barton & Winton  

The project involves up to 22 schools who will each be visited by The Riot Act. Dedicated to motivating and inspiring young people across the UK, The Riot Act team design and deliver bespoke interventions to over 15,000 young people in schools each year. 

Specialising in promoting road safety through theatre performances and interactive workshops, the content highlights key road safety messages that includes pedestrian behaviour focused on using mobile phones, peer pressure and E-Scooter/Bike/Vehicle awareness and safety.

The Riot Act team will then work in smaller groups to brainstorm campaign ideas with the schools, where the winning team from each school will be awarded £100 funding to spend on their campaign.

Alongside Salford City Council’s Road Safety Team, The Riot Act will then make a further visit to schools to host focused workshops to help develop and enhance campaign ideas.

10 schools will be invited to a final where a ‘Dragons Den’ style event will take place to pitch their campaign ideas where a winner will then be chosen and presented with a Salford Road Safety Champion 2025 trophy.

Councillor Mike McCusker, Lead Member for Planning, Transport and Sustainable Development at Salford City Council said: “This is a fantastic project that will help to highlight key issues around road safety to young people in Salford, which is the only GM authority to receive funding for this type of work. I would strongly encourage the schools identified by the council’s Road Safety Team to take up this opportunity to work with The Riot Act team and engage with their pupils.

“As we work towards becoming a Child Friendly City to make Salford a great place for children and young people to grow up and feel safe, innovative road safety projects like this will help us to improve safety on the roads in the city and increase awareness around key areas of road safety.”