POINTS on your driving licence will be a thing of the past when a groundbreaking new anti-speeding initiative is launched next April. Readers will be aware of the controversy surrounding pictures used at an Arrive Alive conference held in St Asaph last Thursday, in which police used photographs of a decapitated biker to highlight the dangers of speeding (see page 3). But what of the conference itself? Chief constable Richard Brunstrom and chief superintendent Geraint Anwyl teamed up with Essi Ahari, Arrive Alive project manager, to deliver a presentation on the impact the anti-speeding initiative has had in the last six years, and to unveil plans for an all-Wales strategy. This strategy is intended to react more to the anti-speeding needs of local communities, as well as taking a more educational stance, aiming to punish people less. “Arrive Alive has been a success, we’re the best in the UK and hope to be the best in Europe,” said Mr Brunstrom. “We will be more responsive to community concerns - if people ring up and say a certain area needs a pedestrian crossing, we’ll look into it. We cannot dismiss people’s views. “There will be more education and less punishment, which I’m sure will be very popular. There will be fewer points, fewer prosecutions and more learning. “People will be offered the choice to go on a one-day course at a cost of £60, or they can elect to pay the £60 fine and take the points.” Mr Brunstrom says there will also be more interactive road signs, more members of the public checking speed in their locality, route-based enforcement and new technology, including the possibility of putting speed cameras in cats’ eyes on the road. These factors come in the light of figures which show the force has brought the number of people killed or seriously injured on North Wales roads down from 533 per year to an average of 267 since 1994. Last year, 78,178 motorists were caught speeding, 7,397 without a seatbelt, 2,802 with a mobile phone while driving, and 1,558 were convicted of drink-driving. But the controversial chief constable says every one of these statistics is a failure, and that he and his colleagues are aiming for “Status Zero”. “Our results are up there with the rest of the world and we’re proud of what we’ve achieved, not arrogant,” he said. “This is not a game, it’s life and death and there’ll be a change of behaviour in the coming years. We’re already concentrating on seatbelts, young drivers, drink-driving, abuse of mobile phones and many other issues, but there’s a lot of work still to do.” Mr Brunstrom was asked whether the force will be transparent with its new measures. “There will always be warning signs where measures are in place. We will never trap people, we want them to know if a location is dangerous,” said Mr Brunstrom. “We will never seek to delude anybody, but we’ll play as dirty as we have to to get the job done. “I think the ‘big stick’ approach has gone spectacularly right. There are 11 months to go until the new strategy is in place, so watch this space.” Insp Ahari added: “Since 2001, Arrive Alive has saved 53 lives, saved 1,213 people from serious injury and saved the economy £200 million. “Road collisions cost our economy £8 billion every year, and the NHS £470m a year. For too long this carnage has been tolerated. Not any more.” martin.williams Driving strategy unveiled | 
