OVERALL OBJECTIVES
1. The overall objective of the Council's road safety strategy is to achieve targets of no more than 360 deaths and serious injuries, 3000 slight casualties and 24 child deaths or serious injuries by the year 2010. These targets were developed following the issuing of targets by central government in March 2000.
2. We aim to change public attitudes to encourage responsible use of the County's roads by all road users especially vehicle drivers.
PARTNERSHIP COMMITMENT
3. Work with partners to reduce casualties through the use of safety cameras.
Since October 2001 a Cambridgeshire Safety Camera Partnership comprising the County Council, the Police, Peterborough City Council, the Highways Agency, the Magistrates Courts, the Health Authority, the Fire & Rescue Service and the Crown Prosecution Service has been accepted by the government as part of a nation-wide scheme. The most notable factor of this scheme is the ability of the partnership to claim back from the Treasury the joint costs of operating the safety camera network from the fixed penalty notices paid by offenders.
4. Develop a shared strategic approach to road safety with partners from the NHS, Police, Peterborough City Council, the District Councils and the wider community through Health for Cambridgeshire, part of the Health Improvement Programme (HImP).
Pilot this initiative with the development of safer cycling campaigns (based on a shared understanding of the needs, shared understanding of the most effective interventions and shared approaches to action).
Develop closer links with Education Service to enhance the provision and impact of road safety messages in schools.
5. Involve and encourage businesses and major employers to promote road safety to their employees through the Cambridgeshire Road Safety Forum, an alliance of businesses and statutory agencies.
6. Work with the Police and other interested bodies on the Crime and Disorder task group, to address anti-social behaviour, specifically where drivers and other road users are identified as being the target group.
INFORMATION
7. Maintain an accident database and analytical system so that road safety programmes in the county are targeted on areas of most need, and where they are most likely to have an effect in reducing accidents and/or improving road safety for vulnerable road users.
8. Commission research as appropriate which develops a more complete understanding of problems, allows the targeting of resources or evaluates the effectiveness of existing or proposed road safety programmes. If appropriate we will commission research through HImP partners.
ENGINEERING
9. Ensure transport infrastructure, including public transport infrastructure, and associated traffic management measures have road safety as well as environmental and economic benefits.
10. Ensure that safety audits of all proposed road and other development proposals are undertaken and that safety features, and where appropriate features which encourage alternative travel modes (public transport, cycling and walking), are built into schemes.
11. Undertake appropriate accident remedial works to reduce road accidents on county roads:-
- Target accident remedial works on those accident sites where the greatest savings can be achieved, taking into account environmental and other road user benefits;
- Instigate programmes of remedial action at all sites which share common characteristics likely to cause accidents;
- Develop and evaluate experimental and innovative accident remedial measures, in consultation with other transportation authorities and the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions where appropriate.
EDUCATION and TRAINING
12. Continue to develop effective road safety programmes in schools and colleges relevant to all ages (5-18 years) linked to the National Curriculum where appropriate.
13. Promote road safety campaigns, and encourage others to do so, aimed at encouraging responsible road using behaviour, in partnership with HImP partners.
14. Promote road safety awareness amongst County Council staff and the staff of other HImP partners.
15. Offer cycle training programmes to all primary school children in the county, and encourage all those attending to wear cycle helmets.
16. Encourage all major organisations employing staff, who drive as part of their job, including the County Council, to pro-actively manage the 'Occupational Road Risk' of its staff. This will involve:-
- Reviewing the whole road safety 'culture' of the entire organisation
- Implementing a 'package' of road safety measures to reduce occupational road risk
- Offering appropriate driver training courses to relevant staff
ENCOURAGEMENT
17. Develop, in partnership with others, awareness raising campaigns which encourage responsible road use.
18. Develop initiatives, in partnership with the media, business, local communities and others, which encourage a greater awareness of, and local action for, road safety.
19. Publicise the effectiveness of remedial works in achieving significant reductions in road accidents.
ENFORCEMENT
20. Continue to support co-ordinated high profile enforcement, with a particular focus on the enforceable aspects of accident causing driver behaviour.
21. Support the use of automatic enforcement methods where they have been shown to have a positive effect on road user behaviour.