Agenda item

(Report by County Transportation Manager)

(1)       The crash records for 2006 for Kent were finalised in May.  The totals were used in establishing best value performance indicators, government targets and establishing trends.  In 2006, 89 people were killed on roads in Kent (excluding Medway), 658 received serious injuries and 5748 were slightly injured.  There were 4752 crashes.  Appendix 1 of the report showed crashes and casualties by severity for 2006.

(2)       To help focus on achieving continuous improvement in road safety the Government had set a national target for reducing casualties by 2010. Compared with the 1994-98 average the target was:-

·                    A 40% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents (KSI) – KCC as part of PSA2 intended to achieve the target by the end of 2007.

·                    A 50% reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured.

·                    A 10% reduction in the slight casualty rate expressed as the number of people slightly injured per 100million vehicle kilometres (MVKm). Kent did not have a traffic model appropriate for KCC roads. Therefore a simple 10% reduction in slight casualties had been used to set targets in Kent.

(3)       Appendix 2 of the report showed that compared with the 2010 target KSI, casualties on Kent roads including motorways and trunk roads were 3% above the 2010 target. Child KSI casualties were just below the 2010 target. Slight casualties showed a reduction of 3%.    Appendix 3 of the report showed that on the roads for which KCC was responsible, the 2010 targets had been achieved.  Casualties on roads for which the Highway Agency was responsible had increased in 2006 compared with the previous year. However individual year on year figures were volatile and the overall trend provided a better indication than individual years.  The overall year on year trends were shown in Appendices 4, 5 and 6 of the report.

(4)       Appendix 2 of the report also showed that on Kent roads child KSI casualties increased from 47 in 2005 to 74 casualties in 2006, however the 2006 figure compared with the 2004 figure of 87, showed a decrease of 15%, indicating 2005 was abnormally low. The variable nature of year on year totals were shown on the trend graph from 1990 for child KSI casualties.  The 2006 total KSI casualties on Kent roads showed a 1.3% reduction compared with 2005, which might indicate a flattening out of the overall downward trend.  2006 slight casualties on Kent roads showed a 1.5 % reduction compared with 2005.

(5)       Overall KCC‘s performance was good and well placed to meet and maintain the 2010 KSI targets. The trend in casualties continued the well established downward pattern albeit that it did appear to be flattening out. It was vital that programmes of work aimed at both improving the road infrastructure and road user behaviour continued to be delivered.  Focused and stronger casualty reduction links with the Highway Agency, Police, Fire and Rescue and the other partners were being progressed to sustain the downward trend countywide.  This year was crucial, as the target of reducing KSI casualties, including those on motorways and trunk roads, by 40% compared with the 1994-1998 average, needed to be met and sustained by the end of 2007 to achieve PSA2. Based on the long term influence on casualty reduction to date by the County Council and its partners, there was confidence that the target could be achieved.

(6)       The Board noted the contents of the report.