For some years now there have been calls for greater alignment of policy and practice across the road safety, sustainable transport and public health sectors. On 1st April 2013 responsibility for public health was transferred from the NHS to local authorities. This has presented an opportunity to deliver road safety, sustainable transport and public health initiatives in a more integrated and effective way. This report, drawing on the views of a cross section of experts and focusing on local transport, shows that, one year on, progress has been made but much more is needed. Policy, necessity and public opinion are driving change at national and local level towards a more integrated approach. Concerns about obesity and poor air quality, the need to reduce carbon emissions and resurgence in interest in cycling have given a boost to investment in local sustainable transport. At the same time, road safety funding cuts and reductions in the number of people killed or injured on the roads have led many local authorities to merge a reduced road safety staff with sustainable travel teams. Road safety needs to be pursued in a broad multi-sectoral context since it cuts across public health and sustainable transport (as well as occupational health and safety) agendas. Road traffic collisions are a major public health issue and the largest single source of death for people aged 5-25 years in the UK. More needs to be done not only to prevent death and serious injuries, the vast majority of which are largely avoidable but also to make people feel safer so that the public health agenda and the public’s aspirations for safer mobility can be fulfilled. Despite the statements of common policy objectives, there is still insufficient alignment between these sectors in practice to realise the substantial co-benefits of coordinated action. Public health and sustainable transport emphasise the health and environmental benefits of walking and cycling while the road safety sector is concerned that insufficient effort and investment are being made to prevent death and serious injury and that increases in these vulnerable modes may lead to more casualties. Closer integration and synergy at national and local level is needed. The long term decline in active travel, particularly walking, and the increases in obesity show that significant and structural change is needed. Behavioural change initiatives are not enough. While cycling has become the poster-boy of sustainable transport, walking lags behind, despite its much wider potential appeal and benefits. It is also a higher priority for casualty reduction. Public transport also seems to be failing to capitalise on its safety and health advantages. This report calls on the Government to show more leadership and joined-up working at national level and to recognise that the desired changes (healthier lifestyles, more active travel, safer road use) will require long-term planning and investment in physical infrastructure. It is imperative that the efforts to encourage walking and cycling are accompanied by safer infrastructure provision, effective speed management and improved road user training. The report also calls for the Departments of Transport and Health to jointly publish improved information about walking and cycling journeys and the health benefits and risks of the main travel modes. At local level it recommends a series of measures to improve cross-sector working and understanding. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting