David Stewart, MSP for the Highlands and Islands, received the ‘National Campaigner’ Award for his work campaigning to introduce Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) and stop the carnage among young people on roads.

In June 2010, Stewart launched a campaign group, ‘North of Scotland Driving Awareness Team’, bringing people together from different sectors and the community to improve road safety for young people.

Mr Stewart commented: "I am delighted to receive such a prestigious national award award but it is not only for me but for my campaign team. Making our roads safer for drivers of all ages and pedestrians is a cause I am proud to follow and I will continue to try to do this."

Steve McCabe, MP for Birmingham Selly Oak, received the ‘Community Campaigner’ Award for his determination that all schools in his constituency should safe for children to get to.


Steve is now campaigning for 20mph zones around schools, nurseries, elderly people’s homes and places where there are other vulnerable road users in Birmingham.

Mr McCabe said: “I am delighted to receive this award. Protecting children on our roads is vitally important and worth fighting for, which I will continue to do.”

The Awards were announced by Julie Townsend, Brake’s campaigns director, and presented by Paul Geddes, chief executive of Direct Line, which sponsored the awards and reception.

Townsend said: “Thanks to the efforts of David, Steve and many others, we are seeing important policies discussed and action taken to make roads safer. Brake would like to congratulate them and wish them luck with their important ongoing campaigning – pushing for vital action to tackle the needless waste of young lives on our roads. We thank all parliamentarians who have lobbied for road safety measures last year, and look forward to working with them in 2011, especially as we move into a global Decade of Action on Road Safety.”

Geddes said: “As an organisation we are committed to road safety and to supporting activities which will make a significant difference in reducing the number of deaths and injuries on our roads. We are proud to sponsor these awards, recognising the contribution of the parliamentarians who, through their championing of particular issues, ensure that road safety remains part of the public and political agenda and real action is taken at a local and national level, to avoid the tragedies that are still too common on our roads.”