YORKSHIRE and the Humber has won a prestigious road safety award for work to keep cyclists away from harm.

The Yorkshire and Humber Road Safety Group has been awarded the Prince Michael International Road Safety Award, for work on cycle safety.

The partnership, which includes Safer Roads Humber, Safer Roads West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire Safer Roads and the 95 Alive Partnership, has used DVDs and radio adverts to prompt drivers to look out for two wheeled road users, and the teach cyclists about safe riding on rural and urban roads.

Ruth Gore, chair of the cycling group and regional representative, said: “The road safety partnerships across Yorkshire and Humber have a long track record of working together and we are thrilled to win this prestigious award. This is testament to partnership working, hard work and positive safety improvements the region as a whole has achieved.”

Focusing on both drivers and cyclists, the campaign also featured online content and a special Tour de France cycle app.

The "Cycle Yorkshire Ride The Routes" app, was launched ahead of the race's visit to Yorkshire in July to help cyclists with information about the Grand Départ routes in Yorkshire, and included hints and tips on how to cycle specific sections and general rural cycling road safety advice.

More than 4,000 people have downloaded the app, and analysis shows that they are actively playing the films on the app with a massive peak of 120,000 films loaded on the first day of the Tour race.

Presenting the award at the Road Safety GB Conference, Adrian Walsh director of The Prince’s award scheme said: “This award recognises the success of a partnership of many agencies working together to deliver such an important and well structured campaign”