11.5 Healthy Communities
| We will implement transport policies that contribute to healthier communities |
Road casualties impose a toll on communities and the health services. Lancashire has shown a clear correlation between the
frequency of road accidents to children in an area and the index of deprivation for that area. Lancashire has targeted Local
Safety Schemes in areas of high deprivation where child casualties are most common. The schemes benefit the other vulnerable
road users who live in the area - other pedestrians, elderly people, those with mobility handicaps and and cyclists. Speed
management in partnership with the Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety is also reducing the number of road casualties.
Exercise contributes to fitness and good health and Lancashire is providing new infrastructure to promote walking and cycling
for utility trips to essential services, journeys to sports centres and, through the RoWIP, leisure trips to the countryside.
Work on School Travel Plans is carried out in partnership with Healthy Schools coordinators to help schools achieve the standards
of the Healthy Schools programme. Where schools exist in a cluster, both topics will be integrated into a single meeting for
all the schools.
Good air quality promotes good health too, reducing the incidence of bronchial complaints and asthma. Lancashire and the District
Councils are monitoring air quality and will take steps to improve it in AQM areas. The introduction of clean fuel vehicles
and measures to reduce congestion will reduce exhaust emissions and improve air pollution.
Access to healthcare is also important. Lancashire supports regular bus services to hospitals from rural areas of the county
and will promote the existing services that already serve hospitals. As a partner of the European project Optimum 2, Lancashire
is improving access for patients and for staff to the hospitals in Preston and Chorley. Where people are unable to use conventional
bus services, Lancashire has introduced dedicated Demand Responsive Transport services. Four services - Wyldefyre, Transport
for Health, Red Rose Runner and West Craven Rider - serve patients living in rural areas. We will work with the NHS Trusts
for hospitals, primary care and ambulance services to develop the services further and integrate them with appointment systems.
As the boundaries of NHS Trusts do not always correspond with Local Authority boundaries, good working relationships with
neighbouring trusts and authorities have been valuable in setting up cross-boundary services.
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