Road accidents not only have a significant and traumatic effect on the friends and families of those involved, but also have a major impact on Scottish society as a whole. Reported Road Casualties Scotland (2014) estimate that the total cost of injury accidents in Scotland was around £1.19 billion for that year alone. Although Scotland’s roads are amongst the safest in the world, and are becoming safer, 1,899 people were killed or seriously injured on Scotland’s roads in 2014, with 363 of these casualties a result of accidents on the trunk road network.1 Working within the legislative framework and in accordance with wider Scottish Government policy, Transport Scotland delivers a safer trunk road network through managing a prioritised safety engineering programme that applies innovation and best available practice. We aim to reduce the number of casualties on Scotland’s trunk roads through Transport Scotland’s implementation of a proactive approach to road safety engineering in accordance with the vision for transport as set out in Scotland’s National Transport Strategy: “An accessible Scotland with safe, integrated and reliable transport that supports economic growth, provides opportunities for all and is easy to use; a transport system that meets everyone’s needs, respects our environment and contributes to health; services recognised internationally for quality, technology and innovation, and for effective and well-maintained networks; a culture where transport providers and planners respond to the changing needs of businesses, communities and users, and where one ticket will get you anywhere”. The application of a Safe Systems approach recognises that accidents happen and seeks both to reduce their number and the severity of those that do take place. Transport Scotland recognises that optimum casualty reduction can best be achieved through working in partnership with organisations sharing responsibility for road safety, particularly those involved in education and enforcement. This is at the heart of our approach in the Road Safety Framework and our actions towards a Safe Systems approach to road safety. Reducing the number of casualties as a consequence of the delivery of this plan will align with the Scottish Government’s objectives of a healthier, safer, and wealthier nation. This takes into account the reduced costs to society from a fall in casualties, and the greater personal wellbeing and safety as a result of the reduction in risk for the members of our society. The Strategic Road Safety Plan sets out how Transport Scotland delivers road safety on the trunk road network. The first Strategic Road Safety Plan was published in 2007 and supported delivery of the Road Safety Framework. The current Framework has reached the mid-point of its 10 year period and has been reviewed in its own right. We have taken the opportunity to update the Road Safety Plan and to refocus our work on further reducing the numbers of accidents and casualties on the Trunk Road network. This refreshed Plan reinforces our use of a Safe System approach within the road transport system. This approach is centred around the premise that death and injury is unacceptable and that they are avoidable. The 2007 Strategic Road Safety Plan encompassed many of the elements of the Safe System approach. This refresh builds upon that approach to more clearly address risk mitigation and focus particular efforts on addressing the safety of vulnerable road users. It includes an Action Plan aligned with the five pillars of the Safe System approach and identifies how the work of Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Unit will contribute to the Government’s casualty reduction targets for 2020. The Action Plan makes best use of our knowledge of both the trunk road network and how to most effectively reduce casualties. It highlights the need to remove risk and prioritise initiatives aimed at preventing accidents and mitigating the effects when accidents do occur. The plan shows how we are harnessing intelligent solutions, demonstrating innovation and working with partners, while sharing best practice with road authorities across Scotland and internationally. Our national road safety strategy, Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2020, sets ambitious targets for casualty reductions and outlines a partnership approach to achieve them. The Framework emphasises our conviction that one life lost on Scotland’s roads is one too many and sets out the shared vision for: “A steady reduction in the numbers of those killed and those seriously injured, with the ultimate vision of a future where no one is killed on Scotland’s roads, and the injury rate is much reduced.” The Framework Review has identified that the Safe System approach should be formally adopted in progressing towards 2020 targets. The Framework is our contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to halve road deaths globally by 2020. This is a significant commitment to road safety and drives the road safety ambitions of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It also aligns with the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 announced by the United Nations General Assembly in 2010. The Global Plan adopts a Safe System approach within five pillars of action and was developed to assist governments and other national stakeholders to develop national and local road safety activities, while simultaneously providing a framework for coordinating activities at regional and global levels. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting