Latest news with #TransportScotland
BBC News
2 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Rise in crashes caused by tourists driving on wrong side of road
The number of crashes caused by visitors to Scotland driving on the wrong side of the road has increased by 46% in a year. Figures released by Transport Scotland showed there were 35 collisions caused by "inexperience of driving on the left" in 2023, up from 24 the previous year. Campaigners have described the rise as "disappointing" and called for additional signage and prompts to be put in place as a reminder for tourists, particularly in rural areas. Road Safety Scotland said there was no clear reason for the increased frequency of crashes. One of the collisions recorded in the 2023 figures resulted in a death. Signage is often placed at airports and other transport hubs and car hire facilities reminding drivers that vehicles in the UK drive on the left side of the road. The vast majority of visitors to Scotland in 2023 came from mainland Europe and the United States – all of which are countries in which motorists drive on the right. Sharon Anslow, founder of the Keep Left campaign, said more had to be done to educate drivers. Mrs Anslow was injured when her car was pushed into a ditch during a head-on collision with a tourist while driving to work in Portree on the Isle of Skye in December 2018. She had to be freed from the wreckage by fire crews and said she was forced to move house due to the trauma of driving on the same route during her work commute. The other driver involved in the crash received a fixed penalty notice despite driving on the wrong side of the road for at least a mile before the crash. Mrs Anslow told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme she had secured funding to put up 250 signs along the roads in Skye and Lochalsh to remind drivers where they should be. But she said the onus should be on councils and road managers to keep other motorists safe. "Raising awareness is fantastic and there are lots of resources online," she said. "But it's not the answer. We should be providing, not just the tourists, but the locals across the whole of Scotland, with proper roads to drive on, with proper signage and directional arrows to keep everybody safe." Wristband campaign In 2022, Italian naval officer Alfredo Ciociola was convicted of killing five people, including his four-year-old son, in a crash on the A96 near Keith. Two years earlier, Gerrit Reickmann, from Germany, caused the death of his girlfriend Melina Rose Päprer when he was involved in a head-on crash while driving on the wrong side of the road near Drumnadrochit in the Highlands. Road Safety Scotland director, Michael McDonnell, said tourists often struggled in more rural areas, where there was little to no traffic to "prompt" them into driving on the correct side. He also said tiredness could be a factor. The organisation has worked with VisitScotland and car hire companies to educate tourists on where they should be driving. They have provided vehicle rental companies with wristbands with the message "drive on the left" in nine different languages. It is hoped that drivers would see them while they have their hands on the steering wheel. Mr McDonnell said passengers also had a role to play in keeping the driver aware of where they should be on the road. He said: "The difficulty we have in Scotland is that one of the attractions of the country is the remote, rural areas, the places people like to visit with its tremendous beauty spots. "Quite often, people, when they go into these areas, they encounter less traffic and so, when there is a lot of traffic on the road you get hints as to where you should be. "The same thing happens early in the morning or late at night when people set off, so you get this increase just when there isn't traffic on the road."
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Rise in crashes caused by tourists driving on wrong side of road
The number of crashes caused by visitors to Scotland driving on the wrong side of the road has increased by 46% in a year. Figures released by Transport Scotland showed there were 35 collisions caused by "inexperience of driving on the left" in 2023, up from 24 the previous year. Campaigners have described the rise as "disappointing" and called for additional signage and prompts to be put in place as a reminder for tourists, particularly in rural areas. Road Safety Scotland said there was no clear reason for the increased frequency of crashes. One of the collisions recorded in the 2023 figures resulted in a death. Signage is often placed at airports and other transport hubs and car hire facilities reminding drivers that vehicles in the UK drive on the left side of the road. 'Keep left' campaign targets tourists Crash survivor in 'keep left' campaign The vast majority of visitors to Scotland in 2023 came from mainland Europe and the United States – all of which are right-hand drive countries. Sharon Anslow, founder of the Keep Left campaign, said more had to be done to educate drivers. Mrs Anslow was injured when her car was pushed into a ditch during a head-on collision with a tourist while driving to work in Portree on the Isle of Skye in December 2018. She had to be freed from the wreckage by fire crews and said she was forced to move house due to the trauma of driving on the same route during her work commute. The other driver involved in the crash received a fixed penalty notice despite driving on the wrong side of the road for at least a mile before the crash. Mrs Anslow told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme she had secured funding to put up 250 signs along the roads in Skye and Lochalsh to remind drivers where they should be. But she said the onus should be on councils and road managers to keep other motorists safe. "Raising awareness is fantastic and there are lots of resources online," she said. "But it's not the answer. We should be providing, not just the tourists, but the locals across the whole of Scotland, with proper roads to drive on, with proper signage and directional arrows to keep everybody safe." In 2022, Italian naval officer Alfredo Ciociola was convicted of killing five people, including his four-year-old son, in a crash on the A96 near Keith. Two years earlier, Gerrit Reickmann, from Germany, caused the death of his girlfriend Melina Rose Päprer when he was involved in a head-on crash while driving on the wrong side of the road near Drumnadrochit in the Highlands. Road Safety Scotland director, Michael McDonnell, said tourists often struggled in more rural areas, where there was little to no traffic to "prompt" them into driving on the correct side. He also said tiredness could be a factor. The organisation has worked with VisitScotland and car hire companies to educate tourists on where they should be driving. They have provided vehicle rental companies with wristbands with the message "drive on the left" in nine different languages. It is hoped that drivers would see them while they have their hands on the steering wheel. Mr McDonnell said passengers also had a role to play in keeping the driver aware of where they should be on the road. He said: "The difficulty we have in Scotland is that one of the attractions of the country is the remote, rural areas, the places people like to visit with its tremendous beauty spots. "Quite often, people, when they go into these areas, they encounter less traffic and so, when there is a lot of traffic on the road you get hints as to where you should be. "The same thing happens early in the morning or late at night when people set off, so you get this increase just when there isn't traffic on the road."
BBC News
9 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Rise in crashes caused by tourists driving on wrong side of Scottish roads
The number of crashes caused by visitors to Scotland driving on the wrong side of the road has increased by 46% in a released by Transport Scotland showed there were 35 collisions caused by "inexperience of driving on the left" in 2023, up from 24 the previous have described the rise as "disappointing" and called for additional signage and prompts to be put in place as a reminder for tourists, particularly in rural Safety Scotland said there was no clear reason for the increased frequency of crashes. One of the collisions recorded in the 2023 figures resulted in a is often placed at airports and other transport hubs and car hire facilities reminding drivers that vehicles in the UK drive on the left side of the road. The vast majority of visitors to Scotland in 2023 came from mainland Europe and the United States – all of which are right-hand drive Anslow, founder of the Keep Left campaign, said more had to be done to educate Anslow was injured when her car was pushed into a ditch during a head-on collision with a tourist while driving to work in Portree on the Isle of Skye in December had to be freed from the wreckage by fire crews and said she was forced to move house due to the trauma of driving on the same route during her work commute. The other driver involved in the crash received a fixed penalty notice despite driving on the wrong side of the road for at least a mile before the Anslow told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme she had secured funding to put up 250 signs along the roads in Skye and Lochalsh to remind drivers where they should she said the onus should be on councils and road managers to keep other motorists safe."Raising awareness is fantastic and there are lots of resources online," she said."But it's not the answer. We should be providing, not just the tourists, but the locals across the whole of Scotland, with proper roads to drive on, with proper signage and directional arrows to keep everybody safe." Wristband campaign In 2022, Italian naval officer Alfredo Ciociola was convicted of killing five people, including his four-year-old son, in a crash on the A96 near years earlier, Gerrit Reickmann, from Germany, caused the death of his girlfriend Melina Rose Päprer when he was involved in a head-on crash while driving on the wrong side of the road near Drumnadrochit in the Safety Scotland director, Michael McDonnell, said tourists often struggled in more rural areas, where there was little to no traffic to "prompt" them into driving on the correct also said tiredness could be a organisation has worked with VisitScotland and car hire companies to educate tourists on where they should be have provided vehicle rental companies with wristbands with the message "drive on the left" in nine different is hoped that drivers would see them while they have their hands on the steering wheel. Mr McDonnell said passengers also had a role to play in keeping the driver aware of where they should be on the said: "The difficulty we have in Scotland is that one of the attractions of the country is the remote, rural areas, the places people like to visit with its tremendous beauty spots."Quite often, people, when they go into these areas, they encounter less traffic and so, when there is a lot of traffic on the road you get hints as to where you should be."The same thing happens early in the morning or late at night when people set off, so you get this increase just when there isn't traffic on the road."
STV News
a day ago
- Automotive
- STV News
Councils across north agree £300m deal to install 570 EV charging ports
Electric Vehicle charging points in the North of Scotland will more than double in the next three years. An extra 570 places to top up car batteries are to be installed as part of a £300m deal jointly funded but Highland, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray councils. EV infrastructure company EasyGo will develop the network while also adopting and maintaining the area's existing charging points as part of a 20-year contract. The company currently operates the largest EV network in Ireland, with over 4,500 charging stations across the Emerald Isle. It's the first time several councils have come together to work on a deal of this kind, with Highland Council taking the lead in the project. Councillor Ken Gowans, vice convener, said: 'By addressing the critical need for expanded charging infrastructure, we are removing significant barriers to electric vehicle adoption, better serving our communities in both urban and rural areas and delivering a wide range of community benefits. 'Together, we are paving the way for a greener, more equitable and connected future across the Highlands and beyond.' Of the funding, £7m comes from Transport Scotland's £30m Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund, which is aimed at helping councils to work with private companies to boost the number of charging stations across Scotland. Cabinet secretary for transport Fiona Hyslop said: 'Our £30m Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund has now been fully allocated to support this type of collaboration across the country and is expected to support the delivery of around 6,000 additional public charge points by 2030. 'In the north of Scotland, our investment has enabled an innovative procurement partnership across four local authorities, that is expected to leverage over £4.9m of additional matched private sector investment over the next three years to expand the availability, accessibility and reliability of public EV charging. 'As we transition away from ChargePlace Scotland, in line with our published vision for public charging infrastructure – this truly collaborative approach, supported through our Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund, directly contributes to our ambition to phase out the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The Courier
a day ago
- Automotive
- The Courier
Dunkeld roundabout and new junctions in A9 dualling plans going on public display
A new roundabout at Dunkeld and grade-separated junctions at Birnam and Dalguise feature in the next batch of A9 dualling plans. The proposals will go on display to the public next month. The plans also include a new car park for Dunkeld and Birnam station and an underpass under the A9 and the railway. They form part of the 8.4km Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing section of the A9. Transport Scotland published its draft orders, including compulsory purchase orders, for the project today. The move signals the start of an eight-week consultation. Public exhibitions will be held on June 11 and 12 at Birnam Arts Centre. An online exhibition, which includes information on the plans for the route, has gone live today. Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop said elements, such as the roundabout at Dunkeld and junction layouts at the Hermitage and Dalguise, had been developed out of previous discussions with the community. And she urged anyone with an interest in A9 dualling to take part in the next phase of consultation. 'Whilst the magnitude and complexities of this work are considerable, there will be no let up on progressing the dualling programme,' she said. The pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing section is scheduled to be finished by 2032. The new target date for the completion of A9 dualling in its entirety is the end of 2035. That's 10 years later than the Scottish Government's initial goal. And just two sections of single carriageway, totalling about 18km, have been upgraded over the past decade. Another 124km have still to be improved as part of the £3bn project, which will extend from Inverness to Perth. Speaking in January, Ms Hyslop said she also expected to see the contract awarded for the Tay Crossing to Ballinluig section and the start of procurement for the Pitlochry to Killiecrankie phase 'in the next few months'.
