Consultation on the Welsh Government Draft Road Safety Delivery Plan
Response by Brake, the road safety charity
13 December 2012
About Brake
Brake is an independent charity working across the UK to make roads safer, prevent road death and injury, and care for road crash victims. Brake carries out research into public attitudes, experiences and behaviour in relation to road safety, disseminates international research to road safety and fleet professionals,engages schools and communities to spread road safety education, runs public awareness and policy campaigns nationally and supports communities campaigning for road safety. It is also a national, government-funded provider of specialist support for people bereaved and seriously injured in road crashes, running a national helpline and providing information packs that are handed to bereaved families by police following every road death.
For more information contact Ellen Booth, senior campaigns officer, on , t: 01484 559909, Brake, PO BOX 548, Huddersfield HD1 4LX
Summary
In 2011, 121 people were killedand 1,126 suffered serious injuries on Welsh roads[1]. These crashes cause acute and lasting pain, suffering and trauma to families and communities, which Brake bears witness to through its care services. Every one of these deaths and serious injuries is violent, unnatural and ultimately preventable. In 2011 pedestrian and cyclist deaths and serious injuries went up significantly, by 35%, compared to the previous year. This meant 16 more people on foot and bike were killed and 82 more suffered serious injuries compared to 2010[2]. Deaths and serious injuries among drivers and passengers in cars and vans also increased by 15% in 2011. These increases add to the case for ongoing and determined efforts to prevent casualties on Welsh roads.
Brake welcomes the Welsh Government’s recognition of road safety as a top priority, its setting of a specific target for reducing deaths and serious injuries, and its determination to continue making improvements to meet existing and emerging challenges. Brake applauds its decision to adopt a long-term vision, alongside specific casualty reduction targets, of reducing deaths to zero, to show determined and progressive leadership in road safety and drive progress, by making clear that ultimately these casualties are preventable and unacceptable. Brake points out that delivering improvements in road safety is not solely about preventing the appalling human suffering that results from casualties and the costs associated with crashes and casualties, but it is also about delivering benefits to the people and communities of Wales, including to their health, well-being, quality of life and the environments they live and work in. Brake therefore recommends that the Welsh Government includes a strong recognition in its plan that road safety improvements and investment can contribute to these wider aspirational goals, crossing over into public health and environment agendas.
Brake agrees it is right the Welsh Government focuses its action plan on protecting vulnerable road users and those shown to be at greatest risk, to maximise road casualty reduction to 2020, and enable Welsh people to enjoy healthy, active lifestyles, and to enable visitors to enjoy Wales without fear from traffic. But while Brake welcomes the strong recognition of the need to protect vulnerable road users, it recommends the Welsh Government makes bolder commitments to achieve this, and to maximise casualty reduction across the board. Brake welcomes the Welsh Government’s commitment to support the introduction of more 20mph zones, but recommends it goes a step further, and commits to working towards 20mph limits becoming the norm in Welsh towns, cities and villages, and supporting their successful introduction.
Brake also believes there are additional important actions it should commit to, to work towards a safer driving and road user culture in Wales, for the safety benefit of all road users, as set out below. These include: publicity work persuading drivers of their responsibilities in making Welsh roads safer, particularly on the importance of slowing down to protect vulnerable road users; and lobbying for a system of graduated driver licensing, given evidence on the positive impact this would have on young driver safety[3].
1. Do you agree that this vision is the right one for Wales?
Partially
Brake believes it is right to lay out a vision for the future where no deaths occur on Welsh roads and congratulates the Welsh Government on creating such a vision. However Brake believes that every serious injury is also preventable, and recommends that the Welsh Government adopts a long-term vision, alongside specific casualty reduction targets, of reducing deaths and serious injuries to zero, to show determined and progressive leadership in road safety and drive progress, by making clear that ultimately all these casualties are preventable and unacceptable.
Brake also congratulates the Welsh Government on having the aim ‘that all people are safe on Welsh roads’, but would urge it to go one step further an aim that all people are able to walk and cycle without fear or threat. This specifically acknowledges the importance of making families and individuals feelconfident about walking and cycling, and safe when doing so, safer to enable greater levels of walking and cycling.
2. Do you agree that the introduction of targets is a good idea?
Yes
Brake strongly supports Welsh casualty reduction targets, acknowledging international evidence that the setting of casualty reduction targets accelerates and aids progress towards casualty reduction[4].
3. Do you agree with the targets being proposed?
No
While Brake warmly welcomes the introduction of targets, including the introduction of some separate targets for young people and motorcyclists, Brake urges the Welsh Government to bring in a more challenging overall target, plus separate targets for death and serious injury reductions and additional separate targets for casualties per mile travelled for pedestrians and cyclists. This will aid effective monitoring and transparency around progress being made in different areas, and targeted interventions around areas of weaker performance.
Brake argues the proposed casualty reduction target is not challenging enough, given that in the last decade, total killed and seriously injured (KSI) casualties reduced by 46%, and given more than a quarter of this proposed target was already achieved in 2011. A target of 40% reduction in KSI by 2020 represents a significant slow-down in casualty reduction so it does not stretch those working in road safety in Wales to achieve more. It is also the case that a 40% reduction across Great Britain has previously been predicted to be achievedby 2020 by simply maintaining investment and interventions in road safety[5].
Brake recognises the Welsh Government’s commitment to casualty reduction in Wales and believes the proposed 40% target does not adequately reflect the strength of this commitment. Brake would recommend a bold commitment to improve its performance to 2010 – so a target of at least 50% – to inspire and maximise progress.
4. Do you agree that the adoption of an outcome-based approach is the right one?
Yes
Brake welcomes the rigorous approach encouraged through this delivery plan, and agrees that it is right to ensure that work undertaken to improve road safety has a sound evidence base, is subject to assessment and evaluation, and continual improvement. It is also right to make casualty reduction central to the aims of road safety work. This is particularly the case for educational interventions; we would welcome more research into the specific educational needs of children and young drivers in Wales, and effective interventions.
However, Brake would also welcome a broader aim of reducing and minimising risk, as well as casualties, to ensure pedestrians and cyclists feel safer and are encouraged to walk and cycle more. While engineering particular routes based on their history of casualties is important, it is additionally important to work to lower risk experienced by road users across the network, particularly in relation to road users opting for sustainable and active travel. There may be routes and communities so risky that people are deterred from walking and cycling, resulting in lower exposure and therefore fewer casualties, but it is still important to improve safety in these locations to overcome the deterrent effect that road danger poses to more people walking and cycling. Over reliance on casualty statistics can mean this important work is overlooked, and that road safety work is purely reactive, only taking place where casualties have already happened. Therefore the Welsh Government should also take a broader, aspirational approach of aiming to make Wales safe for walking and cycling, not just targeting places where casualties have occurred.
This work to reduce risk and prevent casualties, particularly for people on foot and bicycle, not only reduces needless human suffering, but can also deliver significant benefits to the people of Wales and their health, well-being and quality of life. It also makes Wales a more appealing and enjoyable place for visitors. Brake therefore recommends the Welsh Government includes a strong recognition in its plan that road safety improvements and investment can contribute to these wider aspirational goals for Wales.
5. Do you agree that the proposed governance structure is the right one to introduce and support?
Yes
Brake agrees this is a sensible structure to improve efficiency, clarity and accountability. Brake strongly agrees with the promotion of partnership working and using existing resources and established channels, while working to ensure and maximise effectiveness. Brake also agrees that delivery of educational, enforcement and engineering work should be closely aligned and harmonised to maximise impact. However, Brake would also stress the important role that voluntary sector organisations can play alongside the Welsh Government and agencies identified in the governance structure, particularly where they have existing, established and respected road safety initiatives.
For example, Brake’s Fleet Safety Forumworks to help organisations prevent crashes involving at-work drivers by providing the latest guidance, expert views, case studies and tools to manage and reduce road risk within fleets and the wider community. The Fleet Safety Forum was established in 1995, making it one of the first and most established organisations working in this field, with a wealth of expertise. UK-wide, the Fleet Safety Forum provides news and guidance to more than 1,000 subscriber organisations, and runs a year-round programme of low-cost seminars and training on a broad range of topics, drawing on international research and experience in road risk management.Brake would be delighted to work with the Welsh Government to further extend the reach of this programme in Wales.
Brake’sToo young to die programmeengages young people to take responsibility for their own and others’ safety on roads. It encourages young people to develop road safety campaigns aimed at peers (through an annual competition), and develop strategies to stay safe as drivers, passengers and on foot and bike, through interactive workshops led by trained volunteer ambassadors. These ambassadors include emergency service workers, teachers, youth workersor other community leaders, volunteers and professionals. They attend a low-cost one-day course on delivering effective workshops, and are provided with free resources from Brake for every workshop they deliver. The programme has been developed in light of studies on what is likely to be most effective in influencing young people’s behaviour, and was assessed by Napier University and found to have a positive impact[6]. Brake would be delighted to work with the Welsh Government and Road Safety Walesto further extend the reach of this programme.
Brake’s work with schools encourages and supports educators to teach children vital road safety lessons, and to promote road safety to parents and the wider community. This includes our annual event for primary schools, theGiant Walking Bus, which involved nearly 75,000 children last year.
Brake also coordinates the UK’s biggest road safety event each November, Road Safety Week, which involves road safety professionals, educators, employers and community leaders running educational and awareness activities: more than 7,500 schools, groups and organisations registered to take part this year. In Road Safety Week this year, Brake also worked with GoSafe to promote road safety in Welsh media and raise awareness of pedestrian and cyclist safety and the importance of drivers slowing down to protect people, supported with a quote from Carl Sargeant AM. Brake would be pleased to build on this in future years through further work to promote involvement in Road Safety Week in Wales, including engaging schools and encouraging road safety professionals to make use of the opportunity the Week provides to raise wider awareness.
6. Do you agree with the vulnerable groups that have been identified? Have any been omitted?
Yes
Brake agrees with the vulnerable groups identified, which is a comprehensive list. One caveat it would add is that the inclusion of children with specific learning difficulties within the category of children would be useful, as evidence is emerging that these children are especially vulnerable when using roads[7]. Brake recommends further research into interventions to help target and protect these children, who have even greater difficulties in judging traffic speeds and therefore when it is safe to cross roads.
7. Are the actions being proposed in respect of vulnerable groups correct for the Welsh Government and partners?
Partially
Brake supports the actions set out to protect vulnerable groups, and agrees that the Welsh Government should be clearly laying out specific proposals for these groups. However, Brake recommends the Welsh Government is bolder in its actions to protect these groups, including working to bring about a safer driving culture in Wales that is focused on protecting the vulnerable.
Brake would recommend greater commitment to actions to protect pedestrians, cyclists and children and to address casualties in deprived areas by commitment to widespread 20mph limits in built-up areas, rather than simply an increase in 20mph zones, which tend to cover only limited areas, as proposed in the plan. Evidence is clear that lowering traffic speeds on any road is evidenced to reduce road casualties in frequency and severity[8], and particularly to reduce risks for people on foot and bicycle. Brake strongly advocates lower speed limits. We believe 20mph is the most appropriate default for roads in built-up areas, and limits of 50mph and below are more appropriate on rural roads.
This is on the basis there is a huge amount of evidence that slower traffic speeds reduce casualties[9], particularly among people on foot and bike and among children in urban settings[10]. As well as reducing the human suffering caused by casualties, slower urban speeds enable a host of other benefits. Brake surveys have shown that a major barrier to greater take up of walking and cycling is fear of fast traffic, and more families would be encouraged to walk and cycle to get to work and education if there were 20mph limits where they live and on local routes[11]. Analysis in Bristol where widespread 20mph limits have been implemented has shown they resulted in more than 20% increases in walking and cycling[12]. Active travel is good for health, as well as for people’s everyday enjoyment of life and developing community relationships[13]. There are also environmental benefits to 20mph limits. Lower speeds mean lower emissions from individual journeys[14], plus if modal shift to walking and cycling is achieved, more journeys become completely carbon emission-free.
While 20mph zones with traffic calming achieve greater average speed reductions and therefore greater casualty reductions where they are sited[15], because of the expense of such zones their casualty reduction effect is usually limited to small areas. Similarly, zones cannot achieve the same modal shift to walking and cycling when they cover only limited areas and do not stretch to entire routes between homes and work or school. 20mph limits without widespread traffic calming are much less expensive so can be implemented over very large areas for the same cost as a small traffic-calmed zone. While 20mph limits do not reduce speeds by as much as zones, they do reduce speeds significantly enough to reduce casualties over a wider area, and to deliver other benefits, even without additional enforcement activity. Research has found that on average, in widespread 20mph limit schemes with signage only, speeds reduce by 1mph[16], but crucially some streets, where the mean speeds were higher initially, experience much greater speed reductions and therefore a greater safety benefit[17]. The Transport Research Laboratory estimates there will be a 6% reduction in casualties for every 1mph reduction in speeds on urban roads with low average speeds, so it is clear there are large benefits to be gained by local authorities opting for 20mph limits across built-up areas[18]. Assessments of existing schemes have also found they deliver significant additional benefits to local communities. In Bristol’s widescale pilot of 20mph limits, walking increased by 23% and cycling by 21%[19] and public attitude surveys on town and city-wide 20mph limits show they are widely supported[20].