RCR2010 - Road Casualty Reduction Group – South East

    Chairman’s Introduction  

In presenting a perspective for 2008, I would highlight the Group’s principal aims. These are to:

1. Promote co-ordination of a regional strategy for casualty reduction in accordance with prevailing national target levels, and
2. Provide a forum within which all the agencies responsible for casualty reduction can meet to share good practice and influence policy development at regional and strategic level.

The publication by Government in 2000 of the National Road Safety Strategy and the ten year plan towards 2010 was supported through increased funding being made available through Local Transport Plans (LTP), to enable local authorities to address transport issues including casualty reduction. In addressing this national strategy, RCR2010 has focussed on the targets for reductions in the numbers of killed and seriously injured (KSI), 40% reduction for all KSI and 50% for child KSI.

Good progress was made particularly in the first 5 year LTP period with most authorities on target, at the end of 2004, towards their aims for casualty reduction by 2010. However, since then there have been increasing signs of concern about the slow down in overall progress towards the KSI targets. Indeed the results for 2007 confirm some regression in the KSI totals for a number of authorities.

It is clear that to ensure confident delivery of KSI targets for 2010 and beyond, further investment will be required in road safety. However, this needs clear strategic direction and a consideration of both capital and revenue funding provision. Resources will continue to be limited and we cannot afford to misdirect our efforts in seeking to address road safety targets and outcomes. At the same time we must continue to develop ways of improving road safety, and the Group will maintain a focus on:

• Maintenance, analysis and review of sound historic data
• Evaluation of road safety interventions
• Benchmarking performance
• Sharing of best practice
• Innovation

The importance of directing our resources upon sound data and evidence can not be overstressed. Reliable evaluation of schemes and other road safety intervention can help to understand progress towards targets and identify priorities for future delivery. Comparing our progress through the benchmarking of performance has been supported through the work of The South East Authorities Service Improvement Group (SEASIG) using data shared with RCR2010. Our annual road safety seminars have also enabled the sharing of best practice and innovation across the Region.

Success in terms of measurable casualty reduction can be demonstrated for much of our capital expenditure involving physical intervention on the highway. Initiatives in route safety and speed management have resulted in cost effective casualty reduction. The SE Region has been at the forefront of the use of cameras for safety and enforcement work, and success in these areas has benefited from the various police forces working in close co-operation with the local highway authorities. The results of the safety camera partnerships within the Region were in line with those set out in the Government’s Four Year Review report.

Whilst Local Transport Plan funding has enabled increased investment in capital works, local highway authorities have received comparatively little revenue support for road safety, and the RCRF2010 Group has played a constructive part in highlighting this shortage of revenue funds.

The Group welcomed the Secretary of State’s announcement in December 2005 which resulted in new grant funding to replace the previous cost recovery mechanism for safety camera partnerships, for 4 years from 2007/08. This new arrangement is providing opportunities for building upon the established partnerships with investment in a broader range of road safety activities, including revenue funded initiatives such as road safety education and training.

Given that around 90% of road collisions involve human error, road safety authorities will need to encourage changes in road user behaviour, especially for drivers and riders, to help reduce serious casualty potential. This will require wider influence through education, training and publicity and through more effective partnership working between all those who have a role to play.

However, it is not easy to measure success in road safety education and training and to identify changes in human behaviour linked to road safety outcomes. Further research and development of evaluation methods will be necessary and this will benefit from co-ordination across the region. RCR2010 is well placed to facilitate and contribute towards this direction of road safety improvement, which will be a key element of delivering road safety targets beyond 2010.