Greater Manchester is bringing together experts from across the country to help develop an action plan to reduce road danger in the region.
The plan, a commitment made by Andy Burnham as part of his mayoral manifesto, will reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads and keep our most vulnerable road users safe.
On average more than 700 people are killed and seriously injured (KSI) every year in Greater Manchester, with pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists being disproportionally represented in the casualties.
An advisory group has now been established to provide expert advice to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Transport for Greater Manchester on the development and implementation of the road danger reduction plan.
Road danger reduction takes a holistic approach to road safety by looking to tackle road danger by addressing the five key pillars of safe behaviours, safe speeds, safe streets, safe vehicles and efficient post collision response.
In this approach, there will be greater emphasis on making our people ‘feel’ safe when using our streets by delivering safe and attractive shared spaces which visibly reduce danger.
Greater Manchester’s Transport Commissioner Chris Boardman, who chairs the advisory group, said: “Using our streets should not require bravery. Road deaths and injuries are not inevitable, and they should be seen as an unacceptable system failure.
“By purposefully reducing road danger, we can ensure that safety and the perception of safety are not a barrier to sustainable travel.
“By 2040, across the city-region, we’re aiming to have the number of people killed or seriously injured on our streets reduced to be as close as possible to zero.”
The same ambition is shared by the Department for Transport through its Strategic Framework for Road Safety, which seeks to make the UK’s roads the safest in the world.
The membership of the advisory group, which will meet once every six weeks, includes senior transport officials, police officers, academic experts and representatives from UK Road Offender Education (UKROEd), which looks to re-educate drivers who have committed road offences, and Road Safety Support (RSS).
They will bring with them a wealth of experience in fatal collision investigation, vision zero (road deaths) and road danger reduction policing; driver education; transport and driver psychology; marketing and communications; and enforcement technology.
Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Cox, formerly lead of Vision Zero in London and national fatal collision lead reporting to NPCC, said: “I am impressed by the road danger reduction emphasis within Greater Manchester and very happy to provide my experience, advice and contribution to very exciting plans which I believe are at the forefront nationally of safe travel for all road users.”
