UBC joins European Road Safety Charter

UBC plans to sign the European Road Safety Charter (ERSC). More than 1200 institutions have signed this charter so far. ERSC is an undertaking of Directorate-General for Energy and Transport of the European Commission. The main goal of this Charter is halving the number of traffic fatalities by 2010. The Charter includes 10 general principles referring to road safety prevention measures and a concrete commitment which a signing organisation is obliged to fulfil within the consecutive three years. The commitments could include, for example road safety campaigns, publication of road safety information, provision of driving courses for employees, elaboration of a road safety plan or improvement of the infrastructure etc. Upon signing the ERSC the signatory will receive, amongst others, a European Road Safety Charter certificate detailing its commitment, European Road Safety Plaque in recognition of the support for the Charter as well as a copy of the European Road Safety Action Programme, published by the European Commission.

A signatory of the ERSC will have an opportunity to share its best ideas and practices in the road safety field with other institutions all over Europe. Once a yearthe European Commission chooses six best practices carried out by the Chart signatories and presents them an "Excellence in Road Safety Award" in the following categories:

- large companies
- Small and Medium Enterprises
- federations and associations
- institutions
- non-governmental organisations
- regions and cities

UBC as a new Charter signatory will have to declare within its commitment to perform activities aiming at popularization of the road safety rules among UBC member cities and to strive to raise awareness of all traffic participants. Coordinator of the UBC activities in this field will be the Commission on Transportation. Within three years UBC is going to present articles on road safety on the Commission's website as well as in the Baltic Cities Bulletin. The UBC will devote a separate page to promote the European Road Safety Charter. The presentations of the Charter will be included in the annual meetings and seminars of the Commission. Additionally, it will publish 1000 copies of leaflets promoting the Charter and will be awarding the best projects on road safety implemented by NGOs or other institutions of UBC member cities as part of grant campaign. More information on the ERSC at: www.erscharter.eu