Plain Safe – Mutley Plain road safety campaign launched
Over the past five years, Mutley Plain in Plymouth has seen a disproportionately high number of collisions in which pedestrians were injured. The circumstances varied, but one theme kept coming up: someone didn't look properly – the driver, the pedestrian, or both.
Vision Zero South West, the road safety partnership working to halve fatal and serious collisions on Devon and Cornwall's roads by 2030, set out to change that alongside Plymouth City Council, the partnership's lead for pedestrian safety. While the council explores soft engineering measures in the area, Vision Zero South West wanted a multi-media campaign to sit alongside them, encouraging pedestrians to concentrate and look properly before crossing, and drivers to take extra care around crossings.
Upshot won a competitive pitch to lead the creative process, and working with Olivia Dunn we interviewed, gathered insight, and brought our own problem-solving skills to the brief.
Rather than make people feel blamed or yelled at by the council, we gave Mutley Plain its own voice: a character with history, a touch of faded grandeur and plenty of dry, down-to-earth wisdom. Colours were intended to provide a surprising but rich burst of vibrancy in a predominantly grey environment.
Following a meeting with local councillors, the name Plain Safe was agreed, reflecting the simplicity of the message neatly. And graphics were applied to the floor near crossings, railings in the central reservations and large banners along the Plain, alongside supporting social media, posters and other media.
Creative director, Owen Jones, said, "As someone who lived in the community in Mutley and was part of a church there for many years, it means a lot to be able to be involved in this piece of work. Graphics, colours and slogans aren't the total solution to Mutley's road safety problem, but if the campaign nudges people to pause and look properly, even occasionally, those small changes can add up to something much bigger."
In Vision Zero South West's own launch announcement, chair of the partnership and Police & Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez said:
“Last year, 49 people were killed and a further 495 seriously injured on our roads. These aren’t just numbers, these are real people involved in tragic and traumatic incidents which leave families torn apart and have a huge impact on communities.
“Every member of Vision Zero South West is committed to reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on Devon and Cornwall’s roads by 50% by 2030 – and eventually, to zero.
“As a partnership we recognise that we must try new things and embrace different ideas to help us achieve that goal. This innovative project really fits that bill, while also reflecting the unique community of Mutley and adding some vibrant, eye-catching colour to the area.”
Read Vision Zero South West's full announcement here.
Photos and video courtesy of Vision Zero.
Portrait photography by Dave Rowswell
Credit to Nick and his team at Big Ups for production.
Thanks to the community, councillors, traders and residents of Mutley Plain for taking part, as well as the various people we interviewed including Chris Robinson and the students at Arts University Plymouth.
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