The period 2010—15 has seen significant change in many areas of public policy. Notable amongst these are spending cuts, increased devolution and, in England, a move away from target-setting towards greater autonomy for local authorities (‘localism’). These changes have profoundly affected road safety. This report summarises the development of road safety strategy and its implementation and outcomes since 2010. It is based on key documents, government statistics, workshops with a range of stakeholders, and a survey of local authorities in England, outside London. It considers the UK Government’s special roles with regard to road safety, particularly for leadership, strategy and resources. It recognises that road safety is the responsibility of a range of bodies, including the devolved administrations and local authorities, and that the private and voluntary sectors play increasingly important roles. Its purpose is to provide an evidence base for the incoming Conservative Government which will need to draw up a new road safety strategy and action plan. The report does not, however, prescribe these policies. The research shows the diversity of approach to road safety strategy across the UK. The UK Coalition Government chose not to set national casualty reduction targets and focused instead on its own direct responsibilities, particularly enforcement powers and driver education. This is the context for local authorities in England outside London where approximately two-thirds have set their own road safety targets. The Government did, however, set a casualty reduction target for Highways England to achieve for the Strategic Road Network. In other parts of the UK, the governments and devolved administrations have adopted road safety targets, endorsed the Safe System approach, published detailed action plans and engaged more directly in delivery at the local level. This distinction in approach is partly the result of differences in policy, and partly a reflection of scale and the allocation of roles. The UK Government’s less prescriptive approach to leadership and strategy, coupled with reductions in budgets, was seen as having a negative impact on road safety in England by the majority of stakeholders and local authorities in this research. In terms of actions to deliver improved road safety, there was support for the new enforcement legislation, particularly in drink- and drug-driving, but concern that the lack of priority and resources for roads policing would reduce the effectiveness of the measures. There was also disappointment regarding what some saw as opportunities missed, particularly the absence of the promised Green Paper on young driver safety. However, the UK situation is not uniform: Scotland has reduced the drink-drive limit and Northern Ireland has moved closer to introducing a lower limit and also to introducing a form of graduated driver licensing for younger drivers. Since 2010 reported road deaths and serious injuries have declined across the UK, but more slowly than in the previous few years. In Northern Ireland, Scotland and London the number of people killed or seriously injured declined by 33% or more (relative to the average for 2005—9). England (excluding London) and Wales saw below-average reductions of 19% and 15 respectively. Casualties declined over this period for all major road user groups except for cyclists, where the number seriously injured (but not killed) increased. Despite the decline in overall casualties, over half of the English local authorities who responded stated that the trends in casualties and safety indicators in their area have been negative (i.e. the situation has worsened) since 2010. Almost two thirds of respondents were negative or strongly negative about the overall changes in road safety since 2010. The trends show that Great Britain is, broadly, on track to reach the 2020 casualty projections in the Government’s Strategic Framework and the targets set by the devolved administrations. However, these were made much more achievable by large falls in the period 2007—10, before the present strategies were adopted. Many stakeholders are keen to play their part in improving road safety. Their demands were for leadership and coordination from government, underpinned by evidence, resources and research. PACTS and the RAC Foundation hope that the new Government will take the opportunity to reflect on the issues raised in this report, conduct its own review of progress and work with all willing parties to develop an ambitious new road safety strategy for the next five years or more. (Author/publisher)
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