DERBYSHIRE ROAD USED TO URGE BIKERS TO SLOW DOWN
02 November 2005 - Derbyshire Safety Camera Partnership

A DERBYSHIRE road notorious for collisions has been used to highlight the dangers of speeding at an international motorcycle event.

A giant image of the A5012 Via Gellia, near Matlock is being used as the backdrop for the Midlands Safety Camera Partnerships’ (MSCP) exhibition stand at the International Motorcycle and Scooter Show 2005.

The stand, which warns bikers of the dangers of riding at excessive and inappropriate speeds, will be at the event held at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre, from October 29 to November 6.

Visitors to the stand will feel like they have stumbled upon a real motorcycle crash scene, complete with crashed bike, torn leathers and realistic reconstruction footage of an injured biker being treated by paramedics.

The Via Gellia was selected as the most appropriate crash scene because it is a popular route for bikers across the Midlands, and because of its winding nature a number of serious and fatal collisions have occurred there in recent years.

Between July 2002 and June 2005 there were 13 injury collisions involving motorcyclists on the road, in which seven people were seriously injured.

As a result of this collision history, and the crashes that have occurred there involving other vehicles, the Via Gellia is monitored by a mobile safety camera and Derbyshire Constabulary carry out speed enforcement there.

Rebecca Hampson, from Derbyshire Safety Camera Partnership said: “We’re pleased to be able to use a Derbyshire road to highlight the dangers of speeding at such a well-known international event.

“Many bikers who visit the show will recognise the Via Gellia and we hope that our stand will make them think about their speed the next time they use the road, and other roads across the country.”

The exhibition stand was designed and built on behalf of eight Midlands’ safety camera partnerships by Orange Box Design, based in Wirksworth.
The company was also responsible for the photography of the Via Gellia crash scene and filming of the reconstruction footage at the roadside, both of which were carried out with the help of East Midlands Ambulance Service and Derbyshire Constabulary.
Orange Box junior designer Jim Hare, who also lives in Wirksworth, gave his own support to the campaign by posing as the injured victim for the motorcycle collision reconstruction footage.
Paul Carr, Orange Box Design Projects Director, said: “It’s great to work on projects that have a real purpose, particularly when it has such a local angle.
“Working so close to the Via Gellia, we’re very aware of just how dangerous the stretch of road can be.
“Our concept from the beginning was to make sure that the exhibition didn’t preach about the dangers
of speeding, but simply laid the risks on the line.”

www.slowitdown.co.uk

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