Agenda item

          The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Environment and Economy which gave details of road traffic collision and casualty numbers within the Borough in the year 2010 and recommended a continuance of road traffic collision reduction work.

          The Board was advised that Appendix A to the report set out full details of the numbers of traffic collisions and casualties on Halton’s roads in the year 2010, and compared these figures with those for previous years. These results were exceptionally good. The report also gave details of success in meeting various national targets for casualty reductions and highlighted concerns regarding the resources available to continue this work and achieve further reductions in the future.

          The Board was further advised of the following:-

·       there had been 303 road collisions involving personal injury in Halton, resulting in 464 casualties;

·       37 of the casualties were classed as serious, and there were 4 deaths. The total of 41 serious injuries or deaths (KSI) is equal to the 2009 total which was the lowest for over 20 years;

·       there were 9 child serious injuries and one child fatality (CKSI). This was in line with the gradual reduction in such incidents over the recent years; and

·       the number people of all ages being slightly injured (SLI) rose from 374 in 2009 to 423, again in line with the progressive reduction of recent years.

          It was report that, whilst the increase in those people of all ages being slightly injured may appear a disappointing year to year increase, the 2009 total of 374 was an exceptionally low figure, well below the gradually decreasing numbers of the past ten years.

          In addition it was reported that overall the results confirmed the success of casualty reduction work, funded through Halton’s second Local Transport Plan and (until March 2011) the Cheshire Safer Roads Partnership, supported by targeted enforcement and road safety education, training publicity and traffic management initiatives.

          Whilst national comparison figures (for other local authorities) for 2010 were not available yet, according to the DfT in 2009 Halton was one of the highest achieving highway authorities in the country in terms of casualty reduction rates.

          Although all schools in Halton now had School Travel Plans (STPs) in place, the Government grant support for this service was withdrawn from April 2011 and these documents with their safety based implementation plans were, very regrettably, unlikely to be carried through without another funding source being identified. This could have implications for road safety, especially in the vicinity of schools and the promotion of sustainable modes of transport (walking, cycling and public transport) as one of the main objectives of STPs was to discourage use of the private car.

          It was reported that until June 2010, the Council also received Government funded capital and revenue Road Safety grants of £75k and £396k respectively. However, the capital grant was then cut in its entirety and the revenue grant was cut 27% (£90k). From April 2011, the remainder of the revenue grant was cut. This resulted in a halving of the number of Road Safety Officers in Halton and loss of funding for a wide range of projects and initiatives. Whilst the impact of these cuts could not be predicted, there was a concern that the impressive downward trend in casualty reduction might not be sustainable. Given the reduced staff numbers, in the future it was intended to run some initiatives jointly with Warrington Borough Council and other partner organisations such as Cheshire Police and Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.

          In addition, the loss of Road Safety grant had resulted in the Cheshire Safer Roads partnership (CSRP) being disbanded. A new group, the Cheshire Road Safety Group had been formed to operate the safety cameras, with reduced contributions from the local authorities within Cheshire. Due to the level off cuts, Halton was unable to contribute financially to the Group. At the present time the safety cameras within Halton would continue to operate although the level of activity and enforcement could not be determined.

          RESOLVED: That

1) the overall progress made on casualty reduction in Halton be noted and welcomed, particularly achievement of national targets for           2010;

2) the current programme of road traffic collision reduction schemes      and road safety education, training and publicity be endorsed; and

3) concerns with regard to the achievement of further casualty     prevention, as a result of resource reductions, be noted.