Transport Secretary Backs New Road Safety Qualification

Transport Secretary @GrantShapps Backs New @Road_Safety_GB Qualification developed by @EdenTrainingUK 

The national road safety organisation, Road Safety GB, has teamed up with leading UK training provider, Eden Training Solutions, to develop and offer a bespoke qualification to thousands of professionals engaged in the delivery or facilitation of safety on our roads, from fleet managers to educators. 

The qualification, ‘Delivery and Management of Safe, Sustainable and Healthy Travel’, which is backed by the Secretary of State for Transport, falls under the government’s apprenticeship scheme, and is designed to enhance the skills of road safety practitioners in local authorities, emergency services, charities and the fleet sector, in a supervisory or team leader role.

The programme will support and develop practitioners, leaders and managers, whether they are new to the role and wish to take their first steps into professional management, or those already in a management role and wish to develop their theoretical understanding of management skills and behaviours, and road safety.

In developing the qualification, Road Safety GB Academy, the arm of the national organisation which provides training courses for road safety professionals, has worked closely with local authorities, emergency services and other members to fully understand the evolving needs of the road safety profession, and come-up with an industry-leading qualification that teaches technical knowledge and skills, along with attitudes and behaviours.  

Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport, comments: “Even though the UK has one of the safest road networks in the world, an average of five people per day still die on our roads.  At least 90% of fatal accidents are caused by human error, therefore, our biggest challenge is changing dangerous behaviour. With the launch of Road Safety GB Academy and Eden Training Solutions’ new apprenticeship scheme, a valuable service, teaching transferable skills to develop future road safety professionals, can be provided and, in turn, help to address the behavioural problems that are at the root of so many fatalities. This new qualification, which will develop managers to deliver their own road safety training, will not only benefit their organisations, but countless road users up and down this country by helping to save lives.” 

The structure and the content of the qualification has been built in conjunction with Eden Training Solutions, which works closely with all types of UK organisations to deliver bespoke training that’s tailored to their specific needs, and those of the individuals who are taking part in the course. 

Alan Kennedy, Executive Director of Road Safety GB, who has been instrumental in developing the apprenticeship scheme, comments: “This qualification has been designed to match the needs of the profession, providing transferable skills around team leadership, operational management and road safety, with an accredited qualification on completion.”

Jon O’Boyle, Director of Operations at Eden Training Solutions, adds: “The tailor-made scheme will provide a career-linked training programme that develops skills in leading teams and managing operations, alongside the essential road safety knowledge, and knowledge required for road safety practitioners, from beginner level through to experienced manager level.”

The ‘Delivering and Management of Safe, Sustainable and Healthy Travel’ management development programme will be available for Road Safety BG members and their employees from 14th June. 

The technical modules that will be delivered jointly by Eden Training Solutions and Road Safety GB include, Interpersonal Excellence, Leading People, Managing People, Building Relationships, Communication, Organisational Performance, Operational Management, Project Management, Finance, Personal Effectiveness, Awareness of Self, Management of Self, Decision Making, Safe Systems Approach to Road Safety, encompassing Technical Expertise & Organisational Understanding, Roads, Health & Environment.

Attitudes & behaviour modules will also be delivered. These include Taking Responsibility, Inclusivity, Agility, Professionalism and Safe Systems Approach to Road Safety, focussing on Behavioural Interventions. 

The apprenticeship scheme will cover levels 3, 4 and 5 with Level 3 being launched first.  The level 3 element will be underpinned by the Safe Systems Approach and will include Teaching and Learning, Health, Wellbeing and the Environment.  Levels 4 and 5 elements are currently being developed and will be introduced later in the year. 

The scheme will be accessed through employers and funded through the government’s apprenticeship programmes. It will also be available to those practitioners who do not wish to take the apprenticeship route.