A SURGE of support for a City of York Council road safety scheme has come from the city's businesses.

Thirty firms exhibiting at the Evening Press Business 2 Business Event last month, have now signed their names to the council's Your Driving Your Business campaign.

The campaign is to improve the welfare of all York's employees who take to the roads because of work.

Tom Bryant, the city's road safety officer, was at the event at York Racecourse on November 17, to get exhibitors to sign up their firms to a road safety charter, committing themselves to improving both the safety of their employees and all of York's road users.

Mr Bryant said: "This represents a big surge of support because we now have more than 50 who have made the commitment. Over a third of all crashes occur from people driving while at work.

"As well as causing injuries and fatalities, road crashes cost employers millions of pounds through repair costs, absences and increases in insurance premiums.

"We are trying to reduce the number of crashes to improve the welfare of the people of York and also show businesses the social and financial benefits of being road safety conscious".

Updated: 10:59 Thursday, December 01, 2005