The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) is to set up a Transport Safety Commission to inquire into road, rail and air safety. Initially the Commission will address road safety.
Announcing the decision, Barry Sheerman MP, Chairman and founding members of PACTS, said
“I am delighted to announce that PACTS will be launching a Transport Safety Commission. This will be a high level body with MPs, Peers and independent experts. The commission model has worked very successfully in other areas of public policy and I am confident that it will be equally successful for transport safety. Establishing a Commission is a move that PACTS has been considering for some time and, under the new executive director, I believe that now is the time to take it forward.
“There are many aspects of transport safety that would benefit from public scrutiny, such as how to reduce crashes involving young drivers, what to do about level crossing safety and the safety procedures for the new aircraft which carry the equivalent of a school.”
Commenting on the decision, David Davies, Executive Director of PACTS, said
“The Commission will be independent and cross-party, representing a broad spectrum of interests and expertise. The Commission will decide what to investigate and how best to go about it. We will be holding a navigational meeting to determine the membership of the Commission and its terms of reference. PACTS will provide the support and secretariat.
He added
“In October 2008, the House of Commons Transport Select Committee called for the establishment of ‘an authoritative and independent road safety commission’ [Report HC 460, para 132]. The Government did not take up the recommendation. I am pleased that PACTS is now able to do so.”
ENDS
Note to Editors: The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) is a registered charity and associate all-party Parliamentary group. Its charitable objective is: To protect human life through the promotion of transport safety for the public benefit. It was established over 30 years ago by MPs to press for legislation on seat-belt wearing.
For further details, please contact David Davies, Executive Director, PACTS
david.davies@pacts.org.uk Tel: 020 7222 7732
PACTS, Clutha House, 10 Storey’s Gate, Westminster, London SW1P 3AY https://www.pacts.org.uk/
