YEP Says, July 20: Every road death is devastating - and preventable

Bridget Driscoll was the first known Briton to die in a road accident. On August 17, 1896, she was hit by a car described by witnesses as travelling at a tremendous speed. While there was some debate about exactly what speed, it was broadly agreed to be 4mph. You read it right.

Bridget Driscoll was the first known Briton to die in a road accident. On August 17, 1896, she was hit by a car described by witnesses as travelling at a tremendous speed. While there was some debate about exactly what speed, it was broadly agreed to be 4mph. You read it right.

Back to the present and, as cars cram the roads and anything below 30 is considered snail’s pace, every day day in the UK, five people die and about 60 more are seriously injured. A West Yorkshire charity believes that figure should be zero. Don’t we all? Only the difference is that Brake believes the figure is actually achievable and is challenging the Government to do its fair share of the work.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Their campaign is set against a worrying backdrop: after years of progress in bringing down casualties, figures for 2014 have revealed the first annual increase for 17 years.

‘Every death and injury is devastating...and every one is preventable,’ Brake deputy chief executive Julie Townsend told a Parliamentary reception last week. Indeed.

The charity’s goal is ambitious and surely unachievable, but let’s admit that every one of us has a role and responsibility here - every time we sit in the driving seat, get on a bicycle, a motorbike or set out on foot to cross a busy road.

A city of capital cafe culture

A few years back the idea of Leeds having a ‘cafe culture’ would have seemed, well, a bit ridiculous really.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

How times change. These days sitting at a pavement cafe nattering over a flat white is all part of city life (weather permitting). For some a visit to the local cafe is all about a pop in/ take out on the way to work; for others, a little bit of luxury in a busy life, mulling over a novel with a latte in big bowl accompanied by a warm pastry. In our search for the city’s Cafe of the Year we ask you to think quality, think friendliness, service and ambience - and then tell us.

And if it’s not an easy choice, pop out for a cuppa while you think about it.