Pulse.Assent

Highways England, Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and The Deer Initiative have joined forces to warn motorists about the heightened risk of deer-vehicle collisions this autumn.

We urge drivers to be more aware during this time of year and take note of the following advice:

1. When you see deer warning signs or are travelling through a heavily wooded or forested stretch of road, check your speed and stay alert
2. If your headlights are on, use full-beams when you can, but dip them if you see deer as they may ‘freeze’
3. More deer may follow the first one you see, so keep vigilant
4. Be prepared to stop. Try not to suddenly swerve to avoid a deer. Hitting oncoming traffic or another obstacle could be even worse
5. If you have to stop, use your hazard warning lights

Around two million deer are currently living wild in the UK. October through to December is considered a high-risk period as deer will be on the move for the autumn mating season, also known as the rut. The highest risk of a deer-vehicle collision occurring is said to be between sunset and midnight, and the hours shortly before and after sunrise. Across the UK it is estimated that there could be up to 74,000 deer-related motor vehicle accidents this year alone, resulting in 400 to 700 human injuries and 20 deaths.

Richard Leonard, Head of Road Safety at Highways England, said:

We want everyone to reach their destination safely and without incident.

The one time you might experience a close encounter with a deer is when you are behind the wheel, especially during the rutting season when their increased activity could bring them out onto the roads. Our advice to drivers is to stay vigilant, especially during dawn and dusk when the deer are more mobile, which coincides with the morning and evening rush hour. Slowing down will give you more time to brake if an animal darts out into the road without warning.

Deer warning signs are placed in areas where deer are most active and road crossings are frequent. It might be a route you travel on regularly or a road you know well but wildlife behaviour can be unpredictable. Deer often travel in groups so if you’ve seen one and avoided it, one or two more could follow it.

The CLA represents farmers, landowners and rural businesses across England and Wales.

CLA Regional Surveyor Tim Woodward said:

As the clocks go back, motorists should be alert to the risk of deer running in front of vehicles which can happen with little or no warning.

A collision with a deer can happen at any time of year but the darker evenings in the autumn increase the risk of the animals unexpectedly crossing roads and running straight into the line of oncoming traffic.

Not only is this an animal welfare issue, but considerable damage can be done to a vehicle if it collides with an animal as large as a deer, and there is the risk that driver and passengers could be injured, too.

Remembering how to react when you see deer can reduce the risk of a potentially life threatening accident.

If you see an injured deer on the roadside

Pull over at the next safe place

Call the Police. They will deal with road safety issues and have access to a specialist who will know the best course of action for the animal if it is alive

If you hit a deer while driving

Your priorities, in this order, are:

• keep yourself and anyone with you as safe as you can
• park your car in the safest place with hazard lights on. Consider using it to also warn
  other road users
• call an ambulance if human injuries warrant it
• call the police

Remember

Don’t approach live deer. They may hurt you, or run across traffic causing another accident.

If you are involved in a deer vehicle collision and need help please contact the police.

If you need to report a deer-vehicle collision or to seek safety information, the Deer Aware website gives basic advice on how to avoid a collision. It also collects data on the number of accidents and its research is the only national effort to collect data that could be used to save lives – the information you submit is an essential part of this important effort.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer

• New facility will showcase the UK’s world-leading aerospace manufacturing capabilities in making more than 100 advanced components for Boeing planes
• it will export £80 million of products a year while employing 25 apprentices
• Business Secretary Greg Clark attended the opening of the facility which was supported by a £2.7 million grant from the government through the modern Industrial Strategy

Manufacturing more than 100 high-tech components for the Boeing 737 and 767, the facility has been supported by a £2.7 million grant from the government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF).

The UK is a world leader in civil aerospace with strengths in some of the most technologically advanced parts of aircraft. Through the modern Industrial Strategy, government and industry have committed to invest £3.9 billion in aerospace technologies.

Boeing’s new facility spans just over 6,000 square metres, providing high skilled jobs including 25 high-valued apprentices and this is set to increase. The facility will source high-quality materials from the UK supply chain and produce several thousands of components per month. Boeing already employs more than 2,200 people in the UK and spends around £2 billion per annum in the UK supply chain.

Business Secretary Greg Clark said:

Boeing choosing the heart of South Yorkshire as its first European home is testament to the reputation of Sheffield as a centre of innovation, advanced manufacturing and the UK’s status as a world-leader in aviation. This new facility will export components around the world, boosting the UK supply chain and creating high quality jobs.

We are the wing capital of the world and leading aerospace manufacturer and through our modern Industrial Strategy, the government, along with industry are investing £3.9 billion in aerospace to seize the opportunities of the future.

Earlier in October, Boeing launched the Office of UK Industrial Capability (OUKIC) to enhance the competitiveness of Boeing’s UK supply chain and increase aerospace and defence technology exploitation in the UK.

The aim of the OUKIC is to drive the Long Term Partnering Initiative to increase opportunities for UK suppliers on Boeing’s civil and defence programmes, increase Boeing’s investment into the UK, and increase R&D spend with exploitation in the UK.

The new facility is located alongside the University of Sheffield’s world-class Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) which will also allow Boeing to initiate a major research and development programme.

Boeing Senior Vice President of Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Operations Jenette Ramos said:

We appreciate all the community support for Boeing’s new advanced manufacturing factory in the UK. This is a fabulous example of how we are engaging global talent to provide greater value to our customers. In Boeing Sheffield, we are building on longstanding relationships and the region’s manufacturing expertise to enhance our production system and continue to connect, protect, explore and inspire aerospace innovation.

Mayor of the Sheffield City Region Dan Jarvis said:

It’s excellent news that Boeing has opened its first European factory here in the Sheffield City Region. Boeing’s choice of location is a strong sign of confidence in our advanced engineering excellence, confidence in our workforce and strong manufacturing heritage, and confidence in the cutting-edge collaborations between university and business that enable us to lead the world.

Boeing Sheffield will also be a key part of our region’s ‘Global Innovation Corridor’, creating a connected set of research and business interactions based on the advanced manufacturing and engineering strengths we have here in the region, and linking people, places and ideas. The opportunities for our communities, for businesses, for researchers and for the workforce of the future are limitless.

This opening of this new facility is hugely significant for South Yorkshire, the wider Northern Powerhouse, and indeed for the UK.

In 2015, the government and industry committed to spend £3.9 billion to further transform aerospace research and manufacturing until 2026 to help this sector build on our unique strengths in the UK through the modern Industrial Strategy.