RSA chief for second term
NOEL BRETT, chief executive of the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has accepted an offer of a second five-year term.
While Mr Brett has not yet signed a contract, he is expected to do so by the end of this month. His salary is the same – the equivalent to assistant secretary grade – while the performance bonus component has been removed.
Mr Brett was involved in the establishment of the RSA in 2006 and the transfer to it of responsibility for driver training and licencing from the Department of Transport. It also advises the department on road safety policy.
During that period, road deaths have fallen from 365 in 2006 to a low of 239 in 2009, primarily as a result of the introduction of mandatory alcohol testing and increased speed enforcement.
Mr Brett said he was satisfied with the implementation to date of the Road Safety Strategy (2007-2012) and its impact on road deaths.
He said this, coupled with the reduction of the waiting time for a driving test to less than 10 weeks, was the RSA’s most significant achievement.
However, a significant amount of work remained including addressing the problem of drug driving and continuing reform of driver licencing, he said. – David Labanyi
New compact Lexus
LEXUS IS TO unveil its first compact hatchback at next month’s Geneva motor show. A production version of the LF-Ch concept (above) unveiled six months ago, Lexus claims the car will be the first full hybrid premium compact vehicle.
The new car, to be called the CT 200h, is expected to enter the market before the end of the year. It’s set to compete with the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series.
"The increase in cars with engine capacity of more than 2,000cc is not necessarily a reflection that more people have bought 'gas guzzlers'
- emissions have decreased by approximately 20%- Edmund King of the AA in thE UK
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