Agenda item

The report attached will provide an overview of Vision Zero and an Community Speed Watch Update.

 The Committee received a report and presentation on Vision Zero and Community Speed Watch.

 

The Committee were advised that currently in terms of the delivery of Road Safety there are 3 distinct parts:

 

·       Education and Training

o   Schools Go Smarter Programme

o   Bikeability

o   Pedestrian Training

o   Support of Regional Campaigns

o   Walk once a Week

o   Summer of Cycling

·       Engineering

o   Local safety schemes

o   Speed reductions

o   Signing and Lining

o   School Streets

·       Enforcement

o   Police led enforcement including seatbelts, speeding, drink and drug driving, distractions, illegal and inconsiderate driving/riding

o   Bus lane enforcement

o   School Keep Clear Enforcement

 

The Council receives casualty information from Northumbria Police where all reported injury collisions are recorded.  Injuries are broken down by fatal, serios and slight.  Details were provided of the casualties and collisions recorded since 2022, also included was a breakdown of key user groups and child casualties.

 

It was noted that the numbers in North Tyneside are consistent with neighbouring forces in terms of data collection and how the information is recorded.

 

It was noted that road collision causation factors can be categorised into three main categories:

 

·       The person

·       The vehicle

·       The environment

 

In the vast majority of collisions human error is a significant factor.

 

North Tyneside Council is currently updating its Travel Safety Strategy which will be subject to consultation with reference to include a ‘Speed Prevention Plan’.  It is expected that this strategy will be presented at Cabinet in March 2025 seeking permission to engage with all stakeholders.  The strategy has been updated to further strengthen all partnership working with the police.

 

The Northumbria Road Safety Partnership recently been reformed as a strategic and operational partnership to address casualty reduction at local and regional level.

 

An officer working group, attended by Authority staff will feed into a steering group where, through greater co-ordination of resources, road safety will be managed across the Northumbria Police Force area involving all strategic partners.

 

The sub-committee were also provided with some information on Vision Zero.  Vision Zero states that any fatal or serious injuries that occur within the road system are unacceptable.  This is considered best practice in road safety according to the Work Health Organisation and the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

 

A Vision Zero approach to road safety management is based on the belief that no death or serious injury is acceptable on roads and follows the principles of the Safe System, where the five pillars of the road environment work together to minimise risk:

 

·       Safe speed

·       Safe road users and behaviour

·       Safe roads

·       Safe vehicles

·       Post collision response

 

The Safe System approach to achieve Vision Zero is built of key principles:

 

·       People make mistakes that lead to road collisions

·       The human body has a limited physical ability to tolerate crash forces before harm occurs

·       Road safety and crash reduction resulting in death or serious injury is a shared responsibility for those who design, build, manage and use roads and those providing post-crash care

·       All parts of the system must be strengthened in combination to multiply their effects, so if one part of the system fails road users are still protected

 

Vision Zero requires a strategic, tactical and operational approach that is multi-disciplinary involving several  agencies from the public, private and the voluntary sectors.  The delivery of a safe and health travel for all requires:

 

·       A Vision Zero approach, utilising design led solutions to achive zero road deaths and serious injuries

·       The acknowledgement of the need for health and active travel, to address issues of pollution, disease, declining health and inequality

 

It was queried whether in relation to the Stat 19 figures if, for example, someone was injured on a highway and they were alone, if an ambulance did or didn’t turn up and they arrive at hospital how would this record on Stats 19 form.  It was also queried whether a person who might be injured or seriously injured gets to hospital and later dies is there a timeframe that is used to report as a fatality as a result of a road incident/accident.

 

It was noted that if a Police Officer is involved the Stats 19 form is completed and if it used to be that if a fatality occurred within 28 days of the accident it was attributed, however, it was not clear if that was still the case, it was noted that the officer would check this and provide the information back to the Committee.

 

It was queried whether the way data is recorded has changed or is there an appetite to change.  It was noted that as part of the Speed Prevention Plan the date will be shared and communication between the Police and Partners will be better.

 

It was queried about whether there was a way in moving away from the stock answer about the current average speed being to high to reduce speed in an area.  It was queried if there was resounding resident support for a reduction in speed is this something that can be considered.  It was noted that this was the crux of the Speed Prevention Plan and the need to look at how we are led by the Community and it not just being about the data.

 

The Sub-Committee were provided with information on the proposals for Community Speed Watch.  The delivery of Community Speeed Watch is tied into the wider plans to improve travel safety and speed compliance on our highway network.   Further discussions on the scheme will take place at the next Northumbria Safer Roads Partnership (NSRP) in November.  Communications on the scheme will be shared to encourage participation in Community Speed Watch across the borough.

 

Northumbria Police will appraise applications and recruit volunteers in November – December 2024.  December 2024 – January 2025 Northumbria Police will undertake training of volunteers.  January – February 2025 volunteers will be deployed.  The council will work with the Police to identify opportunities to deploy CSW volunteers and provide reports detailing the number of and percentage of speeding drivers identified.

 

The sub-committee were advised that the application process was relatively simple and that a briefing note and the link to the application would be shared with members of the Sub Committee.

 

The sub-committee also noted that as part of the scheme if someone was consistently breaking the speed limit it would be escalated to the traffic team.

 

It was noted that this would be less visible than a police van but it would provide useful data.

 

It was suggested once residents are aware of the scheme it may be that it becomes a deterrent.

It was noted that members were aware of a resident who was interested in signing up but had put in their original application in, in May and are just receiving their training now.  It was also queried whether people who signed up will be working near where they live as if they are being asked to travel they may be less likely to sign up. It was noted that this is important and it is much preferred that volunteers stay in an area they are familiar with.

 

It was noted that the issue with regards to the timescale will be raised with the Community Speed Watch Team. 

 

It was queried whether there would be communications to ward members and it was queried whether concerns could be fed back to the team on what they would do to support those volunteers if they were subjected to any negative behaviour.  It was noted that if this was to happen it would be a concern as it could potentially de-rail the programme.  It was agreed that this would be raised with the police and it would be checked what they have in place should any incidents such as this occur.

 

It was queried whether volunteers would get expenses.  It was noted that the police will pay out of pocket expenses and bus fares.

 

It was queried whether speed signage going up and volunteers being recruited, should we be seeing evidence of a reduction in speed or is there something else?  It was noted that it is not just one thing in isolation, it is expected that there will be compliance over time, and we haven’t got the capital funding to put in speed reduction measures it is anticipated that there will be compliance via the nudge theory.  It was noted that the Speed Prevention Plan should include a multitude of factors.

 

RESOLVED -          That the comments of the Sub-Committee and the information presented be noted.