The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) is a UK-based registered charity, founded in 1982, dedicated to improving transport safety. We support the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Transport Safety and provide expert advice on road, rail, and air safety to members of the UK Parliament.
Our charitable objective is:
“To protect human life through the promotion of transport safety for the public benefit.”
PACTS plays a unique role by bridging the gap between safety professionals and lawmakers, bringing together experts, policymakers and industry to identify research-based solutions to transport safety challenges.
Our vision
A transport system free from death and life-changing injury, in which all users feel safe.
We work with the goal of a transport system in which no one is killed or seriously injured and where everyone feels safe to travel. We believe that every death and life-changing injury is preventable and that safety must be designed into the system, not left to individual responsibility alone.
Our approach is based on the Safe System. This means recognising that people make mistakes and ensuring that roads, vehicles, speeds, user standards and post-crash response work together to prevent those mistakes from resulting in fatal or serious harm. We apply this principle across road, rail and air, and we support organisations and decision-makers to embed it in policy and practice.
What we do
Over four decades, PACTS has become the UK’s leading independent voice for transport safety.
We draw our income from member subscriptions, sponsorships, research grants, and events, and remain independent of political or commercial interests.
Our history
Formed in 1982 by parliamentarians, casualty surgeons, and road safety professionals who helped secure the seat belt law, PACTS has grown to address safety across all modes of transport.
In the late 1980s, we expanded into aviation safety, and by the 1990s, we were actively contributing to rail safety, helping to shape technological and structural improvements.
Today, with over 100 member organisations, PACTS continues to be at the forefront of evidence-based advocacy for safe transport systems in the UK and beyond.
Read the full history of PACTS here.
Governance and Structure
PACTS is governed by a Board of Directors supported by
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- The Management and Finance committee
- The Policy and Research Committee, which guides PACTS’ evidence-based work.
Our working parties and forums bring together experts from across the transport sector to share insights and develop practical recommendations.
Get involved
PACTS welcomes collaboration with organisations that share our goal of improving transport safety.
Find out more about membership, sponsorship opportunities, and upcoming events.
