A campaign designed to reduce red light running along Thamesdown Drive will step up a gear this Saturday.

Swindon Borough Council’s Road Safety team has teamed up with a number of partners to reduce the number of accidents along the busy north Swindon road.

Between January 2014 and June 30 2015 seven accidents occurred on Thamesdown Drive after drivers drove through red lights. The collisions resulted in one fatality, two serious injuries and 19 slight injuries.

In an effort to curb this behaviour, the Council has launched its Use Your Head, Stop on Red campaign with safety messages via radio advertising, while lamppost banners will also be erected at the exits from the Orbital shopping centre onto Thamesdown Drive.

To complement the awareness raising speed checks have also been carried out by Wiltshire Police.

A number of different agencies will also promote the campaign at the Orbital shopping centre next to Asda Walmart this Saturday between 10am and 3pm.

Wiltshire Police will be on hand with a driving simulator and will warn of the consequences of jumping red lights by bringing a car that has been badly damaged in an accident.

Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service will be on hand throughout the day to share advice together with the Council’s Young Driver, Smartmoves and Road Safety teams to talk about the dangers of red light running.

Councillor Dale Heenan (Con, Covingham and Dorcan), the cabinet member for sustainability and transport, said: “Red light running has been a particular problem along Thamesdown Drive. I know it is an issue that has been raised on a number of occasions by the ward councillors in Priory Vale and I have taken it up with the Police and Crime Commissioner and local Police Inspector.

“The campaign speaks for itself, yet still we have seen examples where drivers have been caught out when they have run the gauntlet of travelling through a red light. It is dangerous and, of course, it has the potential to cause a fatality.

“It has to stop and I am appealing for motorists to heed the campaign message not just when travelling along Thamesdown Drive, but when using all roads.”