Figures published today by the Department for Transport show that there is no room for complacency as far as road safety is concerned. While Great Britain may be top of the international comparison chart in terms of deaths per million population, that is because others have done badly, not because Great Britain has done better.
Commenting on the figures published today in Reported Road Casualties Great Britain, Robert Gifford, Executive Director of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, said “Of particular concern are the rise of 6% in car occupants and 10% in deaths on built-up roads. It is on these roads where vulnerable road users are most at risk. After years of progress in improving pedestrian safety on our towns and cities, we do not want to see this group suffer through cuts in road engineering or enforcement.
“It is also concerning to note the increase of 10% in casualties among cyclists going to and from work. Table 30021 gives a breakdown of casualties by hour and by day. Cycling casualties between 7am and 10am and 4pm and 7pm on Monday to Thursday have risen from 6,249 to 6,932. We must continue to make the commute to work a safer journey for cyclists, especially since this form of road use is rising.
“The new Secretary of State has identified that road safety remains a key priority for his department and for the government. These figures show him clearly why this should be so. For deaths to rise in the time of a recession and when traffic levels have remained broadly static suggests that our roads are becoming more dangerous for citizens rather than safer.”
ENDS
For further information, please contact Robert Gifford 020 7222 7732 (work)
Note to Editors
The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety is a registered charity and associate Parliamentary group. Its charitable objective is: To protect human life through the promotion of transport safety for the public benefit.
PACTS Comments are available for download in full here.
