PACTS News October 2021
A lot is happening in the field of transport safety and at PACTS. We bring you a few highlights.
National news
- Government to develop a new national road safety framework.Just before the summer recess, tucked away in the Gear Change progress report (p26), the Government announced that it would develop a new national road safety framework, based on the Safe Systems approach. PACTS is working to support DfT in this process, including our recent Stakeholder Consultation Event.
- Safe Roads for AllPACTS and PACTS members helped to draft the Safe Roads for All report, designed to help the DfT in its spending bid to Treasury. It calls for a safe and healthy mobility strategy, based on the Safe Systems. You can show your support by adding your logo to the alliance on the website. The more support, the more the Treasury is likely to fund road safety – announcement in late October.
- Road casualties GB annual report: 2020The DfT has just published Reported Road Casualties Great Britain: 2020. It is particularly interesting because of the impacts of the lockdown on traffic and casualties during the year. It includes the analysis that PACTS recommended in our 2020 report What kills most on the roads. It also includes the first official factsheet on GB e-scooter casualties.
PACTS news
- PACTS conferenceFurther details of our conference Zero carbon and zero road deaths – does less traffic mean safer traffic? are now on our website. It will be held online on Thursday 21 October 2021, 10.00-13.00. Registration is open here. It is supported by National Highways and Electra Commercial Vehicles.
- Rail SafetyJohn Abbott, formerly of RSSB and now vice chair of PACTS Rail Safety Working Party, will be speaking on Great British Railways: health, safety and sustainability opportunities and challenges at the IMechE rail conference on 20 October. Places available.
- Private e-scooter safety projectUnlike e-scooters in Government regulated pilot schemes, private e-scooters conform to no particular safety standards and are illegal to use in public places. The government is considering whether to legalise private e-scooter use and PACTS wants that legislation to include evidence-based safety measures to protect the riders and other road users. An interim report for this Road Safety Trust funded project to be published in October 2021 and will give a more detailed picture. You can find more information of the project here.
- New Members of PACTSWe are delighted to announce that TyreSafe charity, the online micromobility magazine Zag, the manufacturer Electra Commercial Vehicles and a newly formed group Action Vision Zero have joined PACTS. We look forward to working with them to improve safety for all road users.
If you have any queries, please get in touch with us at admin@pacts.org.uk
