The report of the Strategic Director, Place (Document “F”) will be submitted to the Committee and seeks to update members on current casualty levels and trends in the Bradford District and the Capital Programmes, Road Safety Education, Training and Publicity initiatives aimed at preventing these casualties.  The report also sets out the Council’s commitment to Vision Zero.

Recommended –

1.          That Members note the contents of this report.

2.          That officers are requested to update the Committee in 12 months’ time to include Casualty performance and a financial update.

(Simon D’Vali – 01535 618375)

The report of the Strategic Director, Place (Document F) was submitted to the Committee to provide the annual update on current casualty levels and trends in the Bradford District plus the initiatives taking place on road safety education, training and publicity that aimed to reduce casualties.

Following the decisions taken in 2012 by Area Committees, an evidence based approach was adopted to prioritise and determine road safety priorities which would be presented as an annual report.

The report included numbers and types of casualties with comparison figures to nearby authorities.  The work and aim of the Road Safety Team was also included for Members’ information with details of stakeholder organisations who were involved with projects and initiatives to jointly support the work being carried out.

The report noted that car occupants continued to make up the highest number of casualties in incidents involving a motorised vehicle and the messages and communications programmes aimed at reducing and tackling this issue towards the goal of Vision Zero.  The challenges faced in Bradford related to driver behaviour in some parts of the District and that the number of uninsured drivers was the highest in the country and not wearing seatbelts which Officers stated were nuanced and difficult to address.  Killed or seriously injured (KSI) figures had declined but only reflected the reduced number of vehicles on the roads during the COVID pandemic.

Officers highlighted the rise in car occupant casualties that had risen significantly posed the question of what could have happened if none of the prevention and education work had been carried out.  They also gave an overview of the local factors affecting and influencing casualties

Officers stated that the current infrastructure was meeting the District’s needs in light of the increased number of cyclists and pedestrians and went on to say that data had always been used after the fact but the Vision Zero concept looked at a pre-collision approach using data from multi agency sources to map out what was happening in the district.  Road Safety funding was co-ordinated at a West Yorkshire level with a Bradford Officer as the Chair.

One of the Road Safety team officers was also present and provided Members with an update on what work was being carried out in the district.  There was a district wide offer to schools and those areas with the highest rates of KSI incidents were being targeted.  Support offered consisted of practical face to face training using the roads on which children travelled.  Messaging, publicity and campaigns were also used with accurately targeted messages using social media being employed.

Operation Steerside was having a major impact on enforcement and changing behaviours.  Collaborative work was carried out to avoid duplication of road safety work via Area Committees.  Examples of these included 20mph programmes and School Street pilots which involved working with the portfolio holder to identify areas for trials.  It needed engagement by schoosl for it to be completely successful.

Members were then given the opportunity to comment and ask questions, the details of which and the responses given are as below.

Vision Zero was a commendable goal but there was a gap in perception and what could be achieved.  A brief discussion then took place relating to the existing obstacles, for example, getting residents to feel that work was being done and tackle non-action when problems were reported.

Officers advised that dashcam footage submissions were a valuable tool and that reporting incidents was now easier to do with more work needed.

The problem of no action being taken until someone died was also raised and it would need work to study the public’s concerns and intervene using a multi-agency approach to see what could be achieved.  The Council was not working in isolation and was seeking support and/or data from other agencies.

The subject of school admissions was raised as students were being taken to school by car and Officers were asked if opposition to prevention measures were neighbourhood or political.  Officers stated that there were few collisions outside of school but more occurred during the journey to and from school involving car occupants.  This was more prevalent in secondary age children and there was a need for them to be able to travel independently.  It needed recognition that streets/neighbourhoods were car centric and traffic management was neither accepted or appreciated. 

Members asked how targeted safety training was to those causing accidents and were advised that there was better data available and in use but some people did not care about anyone, including themselves.  It needed enforcement and education and for them to recognise their wrong doing with appropriate penalties to stop them doing the same again.

The portfolio holder addressed the Committee and stated that there was uncertainty of the impact but the Council was trying to implement a scheme that would work.  Sometimes on balance decisions had to be made with confidence that they would make a difference and save lives.

Resolved -

That a further report, to include casualty performance, a financial update and progress on Vision Zero, be presented in 12 months.

Action: Strategic Director, Place