Agenda item

(Report by Director of Kent Highway Services)

(1)       Kent County Council launched the LPSA2 project in October 2004. The aim of the LPSA2 project was to achieve the major element of the 2010 national road casualty reduction targets i.e. a 40% reduction in the number of people killed and seriously injured, by 31 December 2007. The challenging target was being addressed by a partnership of key players drawing on the contribution of their particular skills and resources for our collective benefit.  The report provided an update on progress to date, an overview of activities undertaken so far and plans for the remainder of the project.

(2)       During the final year of the LPSA2 we were closely monitoring progress towards the end of year target. Crash and casualty data to June 2007 indicated that there were 331 killed and seriously injured (KSI) during the first half of the year. Data from previous years indicated that we should expect an average increase of 15% in KSIs in the last six months of the year. If this trend was followed during 2007 we were likely to have an end of year figure of 712 KSIs. To achieve the target of 40% reduction in KSIs we would need to reach 716.

(3)       The approach to the project had been to integrate the known benefits of education, enforcement, engineering and evaluation. The main thrust of the Road Safety team’s work had been in public education through a programme of countywide publicity campaigns, proactive press and public relations and public engagement projects involving Road Safety Officers in the field.

(4)       The activities were in addition to planned public education work. A co-ordinated approach between public education and planned programmes of engineering work ensured that added value was gained during localised projects. We also liaised with Kent Police and Kent Fire and Rescue to identify shared priorities and plans wherever possible, and worked together in joint initiatives whenever it was appropriate to do so.

(5)       The research led approach had identified the main areas of concern as dangerous and illegal speed, road user impairment and lack of awareness. The research also helped to identify that we needed to continue delivering a strategy of public education, alongside existing programmes of work and that we needed to particularly engage with drivers and motorcyclists.

(6)       Appendix A of the report showed the planned publicity campaigns and public engagement projects to March 2008, all were supported by robust media and public relations engagement. All activities to date were either completed or on-going.

(Appendix A of the report had been omitted at the time of printing.  Copies would be circulated to the Board following the meeting).

(7)       The Road Safety Manager was confident that the PSA2 project target would be met, but it was not a foregone conclusion. However, achievement of the PSA2 target on 31 December 2007 did not remove the requirement for us to meet the national casualty reduction targets for 2010 set out by HM Government in 2000 (Tomorrow’s Roads - Safer Roads for Everyone, the Government’s road safety strategy and casualty reduction targets for 2010, Dept. of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, 2000). The targets were, by 2010, and based on the average figures for 1994 to 1998, to at least achieve:-

·                    A 40 % reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured in road crashes.

·                    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 100 million vehicle kilometres driven.

(8)       There was a risk that we would be unable to sustain the casualty reduction success achieved between 2000 and 2007. It was important that the Road Safety team were able to maintain an adequately funded programme of public education beyond the PSA2 project, thereby reinforcing previous work and increasing potential to meet the 2010 national casualty reduction targets. 

(9)       The Road Safety team were working to further strengthen existing links with key partners such as Kent Police, Kent Fire and Rescue Service, the Highways Agency and Medway Council. We were also exploring the potential for extending the casualty reduction benefits provided by existing successful initiatives such as:-

·                    The Kent and Medway Safety Camera Partnership

·                    The Kent Driver Diversion Partnership including National Driver Improvement and Speed Awareness courses

·                     Support for the Pass Plus scheme

(10)     Following discussion Mr Procter undertook to report back on completion of the LPSA2.

(11)     The Board noted the report.