I have said this countless times before, but everywhere I go in Devon and Cornwall, the one thing people are always keen to highlight in their communities is road safety.
Whether it’s concerns about speeding drivers, problems with a local junction layout, dangerous parking around schools or safety for cyclists and pedestrians – road safety effects every single one of us, regardless of whether you drive or not.
I’ve been banging the drum for road safety for the past ten years in office and have always made it a focus – which resulted in the formation of the Vision Zero South West road safety partnership. This passionate and varied group of professionals across the region all have one thing in common – a desire to see zero deaths and serious injuries on our roads.
In 2024, 55 people were killed and a further 622 were seriously injured on Devon and Cornwall’s roads. Over the past three years, Devon and Cornwall has seen a year-on-year decrease in the number of people killed and seriously injured on the roads – but those numbers are still far, far too high.
So I was delighted last week when the Government released details of its Road Safety Strategy – the first such strategy in over a decade. It comes with the aim of reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured in collisions by 65% by 2035.
Vision Zero South West has long lobbied for a new Road Safety Strategy – as well as suggesting what details and priorities it should contain. While our partnership is an ambitious one which works hard and embraces technology and innovation to reduce collisions, there is only so much we can do without national legislation leading the way.
Back in 2024, Vision Zero South West published our Road To Zero plan and took it to Westminster along with partners. The document outlined exactly what we needed from Whitehall to make the biggest difference on our roads – so imagine my delight when I discovered all the main points we suggested had been incorporated in the Government’s strategy!
The introduction of eyesight and general health tests for older motorists is a vital step in protecting road users. Health deterioration is an inevitable part of ageing and can have a huge impact on driving ability and consequently the safety of all road users. Devon & Cornwall has an increasing ageing population and has also seen a rise in the number of collisions involving older drivers, so this is a firm priority for our road safety partnership.
I also welcome the proposals for mandatory vehicle safety technologies such as autonomous braking and lane-keeping assistance which would help us keep pace with Europe and not get left behind on such an important safety issue. The Safe System approach is underpinned by the fact that human beings will make mistakes, so the adoption of technology to mitigate those mistakes is an obvious and important step towards preventing harm.
I also welcome the proposals for mandatory vehicle safety technologies such as autonomous braking and lane-keeping assistance which would help us keep pace with Europe. The Safe System approach is underpinned by the fact that human beings will make mistakes, so the adoption of technology to mitigate those mistakes is an obvious and important step towards preventing harm.
Similarly, immediate driving suspensions for those suspected of drink and drug driving offences is a no-brainer for me. Impaired drivers cause so much harm on our roads and should not be allowed to pose a continued threat while under investigation simply due to a legislative loophole.
There are plans for a lower drink-drive limit, endorsements for seatbelt offences and minimum learning periods for new drivers – all of which can only improve safety for everyone.
Our collective work has always been grounded in the Safe System approach and has always looked to prioritise the most vulnerable road users – particularly motorcyclists, young drivers and older drivers – all of whom overrepresented in collisions here in Devon and Cornwall.
Road safety has been overlooked for many years now so it’s encouraging to see it back in the spotlight with several potentially life-saving proposals.
Last year over 1,600 people died on Great Britain’s roads. This isn’t just a number, these are real people killed in tragic and traumatic circumstances, leaving families torn apart. If this number of people were killed in any other way in the UK, there would be a national outcry – and rightly so.
The Vision Zero South West partnership will work together to submit a formal response to the strategy – but we are buoyed by the fact that road safety is being taken seriously and look forward to hearing what level of investment the Government is proposing.
For more information about the Road Safety Strategy, visit: Road Safety Strategy