RoSPA says, in order to decrease the number of road-related deaths and casualties in England, the Government should take Scotland and Wales’ approach and adopt road safety targets.The statment was made by RoSPA as part of a response to a Westminster Transport Committee inquiry about road safety. Figures show that, 2017 saw the most people killed on England’s roads since 2011, with 1,544 deaths. In 2010- 2014, there was a total of 21,283 road related deaths and serious injuries, which was the average. In 2017, it figures reached above average, with 23, 825 road related deaths and injuries.
RosPA Chief Executive, Errol Taylor expressed that: “this is concerning, and something we are calling on the Government to address with the setting of specific targets across England.”
In Scotland however, figures are falling and in Wales, figures have stayed around the same level since 2014, which is also half of what they were in 2004.
Errol Taylor described Scotland and Wales’ solution of using road safety targets to combat the issue of road safety as “a real cause for celebration” and emphasised that “opposite trends are seen in England meaning the number of casualties on UK roads in general has stagnated”.
As part of RoSPA’s response to the Transport Committee’s call for evidence on road safety, it appealed that the Department for Transport to adopt a “Vision Zero” approach across the whole of the UK, including London.
RoSPA also suggested that several other interventions should be considered, including a reduction in the drink-drive limit in Wales and England, to match the current law in Scotland. Enabling active travel through improving safety for vulnerable road users is also key.
The Chief Executive added that “we must also ensure that we are continuing to invest in engineering, education and enforcement interventions, as we know that a combination of all three is what’s needed to reach a future where no-one is harmed on the UK’s roads.”
