The Department of Infrastructure officially launched the TT2013 road safety campaign at the Museum in Douglas on Monday, May 13th.

The campaign, a joint initiative with Isle of Man Constabulary, features a photo-mosaic made up of images of a cross-section of the many hundreds of individuals who are involved in ensuring the TT Races run smoothly each year. The main strapline for the campaign is ‘Respect Our Roads’, aimed at encouraging visitors and residents alike to consider the impact that unsafe driving or riding can have on the lives of everyone in the Island.

It is vital that all those using the roads recognise that they remain in use by people going about their everyday business such as parents taking children to school, postal deliveries, refuse collection rounds, milk rounds and other service providers. When open to general traffic the public roads are not suitable for race practice nor for high speed driving.

Minister for Infrastructure David Cretney MHK said:

‘At times in the past we have focused on the devastating aftermath of an accident. This year we thought it was important to highlight the fact that people living in the Island use these roads on a daily basis, and the repercussions of accidents that occur during the TT can continue to affect residents long after the racing has finished.

During TT fortnight it is easy to forget that the Mountain Course comprises open public roads and is used by people going about their everyday business. We need car drivers and motorcyclists to be mindful of this – and to ensure they stay alert for the whole of the festival.

We’re delighted that the campaign has been endorsed by leading TT stars, including 16 times TT winner Dave Molyneux, the third most successful TT rider of all time, and Conor Cummins, the Ramsey Rocket, who is the fastest Manxman around the Mountain Course. I’d hope that with such well-known names backing our campaign, everyone who is in the Island for the festival will heed the “Respect our Roads” message. My advice is if you want to race, get a race licence and enter the events.’

As part of the TT road safety campaign, the one-way system on the Mountain Road will again be in force for the duration of the festival. A leaflet containing information on the one-way system will soon be available from the Sea Terminal and other outlets. The road safety message will be reinforced by billboards around the TT course, radio advertisements and general information leaflets.


Minister Cretney continued:

‘The Department’s Road Safety Team will be out and about throughout the festival, talking to visitors and residents. In addition to information leaflets, the team has produced fact sheets and fun games for schoolchildren, which will be distributed as a downloadable file to each school. The hope is that we can educate youngsters now, so that when they are old enough, safe driving and riding will have been instilled in them. The team is bringing this new campaign even further in line with the digital age by producing QR codes that can be scanned by smartphones. This will download key information to their phones which can be viewed at the touch of a button.

Last year saw the Road Safety Team in operation on a number of Steam Packet Company sailings to the Island during TT fortnight to reinforce the road safety message before visitors arrived. The team will be repeating the exercise this year, using iPads to engage with passengers and communicate the new road safety message on a digital platform, and sharing road safety information via QR codes. I’d like to thank the Steam Packet Company for its co-operation, and Sure Cable & Wireless for the loan of the iPads.'

The campaign’s radio adverts will be broadcast on all local radio stations and will cover all aspects of road safety. As well as the all-important anti-drink drive message, they will remind residents to keep animals and domestic pets away from potentially dangerous situations on the roads, urge bikers to avoid stopping on bends, and advise all road users to look out for temporary speed limits in place for the duration of the TT.

Chief Constable Gary Roberts said:

‘The main aim of the Constabulary throughout the year is “keeping people safe”, and that’s very much our target during each TT festival. We work as hard as we can to ensure that everyone – visitors and residents alike – has confidence in our roads and the work we do during the fortnight.

We want people to enjoy the festival, of course. But this has to be done while paying heed to the very real dangers that come with the increased traffic on Manx roads during the two weeks. We want this year’s campaign to make people stop and think as they head out onto the roads during TT – they need to show respect, to the Island’s roads, to other road users and to the work of so many people who are involved in ensuring the TT festival is a success each year.’

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