ROAD SAFETY PLAN 05/06 to 07/08 Contents
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Draft ROAD SAFETY PLAN 05/06 to 07/08 Contents Page 1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................2 2. CASUALTY TARGETS ........................................................................................................4 3. PERFOMANCE AGAINST CASUALTY TARGETS TO DATE ............................................6 4. POLICIES .............................................................................................................................9 5. EDUCATION, ENGINEERING AND ENFORCEMENT ......................................................12 6. MONITORING ....................................................................................................................32 7. PARTNERSHIP ..................................................................................................................33 1. INTRODUCTION Statutory Framework 1.1 The Road Traffic Act 1988, Section 39, gave local authorities responsibility for all roads outside the motorway and trunk road system. This was superseded by the Greater London Authority Act 1999, which transferred responsibility for the Greater London Authority roads to Transport for London but left local authorities responsible for road safety on remaining roads within the local authority. 1.2 Local authorities are required by statute to: • Carry out a programme of measures designed to promote road safety on existing roads and in the construction of new roads. • Undertake studies of accidents. • Take measures to prevent such accidents. • Provide road safety education, training and publicity for all ages and types of road user, from pre-school children to the elderly. 1.3 The Council has a statutory duty to maintain the safe, convenient and free flow of pedestrian and vehicle traffic except where lawful restriction of speed direction or movement of traffic is imposed by a legal order. The Council has powers as a highway authority under the Highways Act 1980 to construct, manage, maintain and improve highways. It also has powers under the Road Traffic Act 1991 to enforce parking restrictions in order to promote safety. 1.4 The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 places a duty on local authorities to secure the expeditious, convenient and safe movement of vehicular and other traffic, including pedestrians and cyclists, and the provision of suitable and adequate parking facilities on and off the highway and to have particular regard to: • Reasonable access to premises • The effect on amenities and • Passage of public service vehicles and the safety of passengers. Policy Background 1.5 In “Tomorrow’s Roads: Safer for Everyone”, published in March 2000, the Government has set new national targets for road casualty reduction (see Section 2 below for details). The Mayor of London’s Transport Strategy and Road Safety Plan require all London boroughs to prepare a local road safety plan. The plan should set out how boroughs intend to meet the Government’s national road safety targets, as well as the Mayor’s road safety targets and priorities for London. Overview of Casualty Reduction in Harrow 1.6 Harrow has a strong tradition of promoting and prioritising road safety. This is reflected in accident records, which consistently show that the number of casualties in Harrow each year is amongst the lowest of all London Boroughs. Harrow has the lowest accident rate per head of population of all the London boroughs. 1.7 Road accident casualties are a major cause of suffering and it is important that where possible, additional effort is made to eliminate the principal causes of this suffering. 2 1.8 This Road Safety Plan is a response to out ways in which the Council intends to contribute towards the reduction of road accident casualties. The Plan sets out t 1.9 The Councilenforcement can only programmes, achieve a limited which amount seek toon en its own and anyone involved in safely as possible and in accordanc transport has a responsibility for safety. T manufacturers and all road user 1.10 The Council’sbenefit efforts of the incommunity. recent years In haveaddition, technol the general enforcement of accident reduction target for both killed and serious 1.11 The mainplan factor puts in forward most accidents Harrow’s is plans the in in ensuring t to be reduced and shows the Council’s resolve in achieving road safety targets. the aforementioned poli he education, training, engineering and casualties make up for 66% of e to the statutor borough has one on the highest number of househo sure that roads are laid out and managed as the highest of households that own 2 or more ca traffic regulations.s have a role in creating a rates in London. 1400 he Government, the Council, the Police, car 1200 y requirements. cy documents and sets 1000 A djacent Boroughs ogy plays an increasingly important part in 800 Table XX: Casualties per 100,000 population for already resulted in achieving the 2010 national 600 all casualties. However, 400 Outer London Boroughs safer environment for the 200 hat casualty reduction in Harrow continues ly injured and for slight injuries. This volvement of the car. In Harrow, car occupant 0 Harro w Brent Barnet rs, yet ldsstill who has ownone aof car/van, the lowest and casualty is among Data 2001 census populationHillingdon it should be Ealing Bexley Kingston upon Thames noted that the Sutton each Borou Bromley Merton Richmond upon Thames g Croydon h, 2003 Barking and Dagenham Waltham Forest Havering Redbridge Enfield Greenwich Hounslow Wandsworth Newham Kensington and Chelsea Tower Hamlets Hammersmith and Fulham Haringey Hackney Lewisham Islington Lambeth Southwark Westminster 3 2. CASUALTY TARGETS NATIONAL 2.1 The Government published the national road safety strategy and casualty targets for 2010 in the document “Tomorrow’s Roads – Safe for Everyone”. The new targets set the challenge to achieve by 2010: • 40% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) in road accidents • 50% reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured • 10% reduction in the slight casualty rate, expressed as the number of people slightly injured per 100 million vehicle kilometres • 40% reduction in pedestrian, cyclist and powered two wheeler rider killed and seriously injured Comparisons are to the average for 1994-98. 2.2 This indicates the following targets for Harrow: 1994-1998 (baseline) 2010 Target 40% reduction in KSIs 122 73 50% reduction in children KSIs 20 10 10% reduction in slight casualties 728 655 LONDON 2.3 In London there are particular problems with high numbers of pedestrian casualties and pedal cyclists and the increase in the use of powered two wheelers since the introduction of congestion charging. The Mayor of London’s Transport Strategy is intended to promote and increase walking and cycling. The increase in walking, cycling and powered two wheelers use make it even more challenging to achieve the targets. In recognition of the particular circumstances in London, the Mayor’s Transport Strategy indicates that the 40% reduction target is to be applied to each of the categories of pedestrians, cyclists and riders of powered two wheelers and a 50% reduction for children from the 1994-1998 baseline. There is also a 10% reduction target for all casualties (including slights). 2.4 This indicates the following targets for Harrow: Target of 40% KSI reduction 1994-1998 (baseline) 2010 Target Pedestrians 34 21 Cyclists 7 4 Power two wheelers 12 7 HARROW 2.5 For many years, Harrow has achieved lower accidents than nearly all other London Boroughs. For this reason achieving even further reductions is considerably more challenging. As a result of achievements in accident savings in 2003, Harrow now has the 3rd lowest number of casualties of all the outer London boroughs and 4th lowest number of casualties in the whole of London. 4 2.6 Harrow Council is determined to give road safety the high priority required and have therefore set local targets in excess of both the national and the London targets. In the Harrow Local Public Service Agreement, a target in excess of the national casualty reduction target has been agreed for reducing deaths and serious injuries on the roads in Harrow. The stretched performance target is to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured to 90 per year (annual average for 3 years ending 31 December 2005). For 1999-2001 the average was 110 per year. An Urban Safety Zones Initiative is underway to enhance the normal safety and accident remedial work. This identifies four areas with poor accident records, 3 town centres (Stanmore, Hatch End and Rayners Lane) plus one principal road route (Marsh Lane, Honeypot Lane) and will investigate and implement safety improvements. Table 1: Summary of road safety targets for Harrow Source Target National 40% reduction in KSI 2010 73 50% reduction in children 2010 10 KSIs 10% reduction in slight 2010 655 casualties London Target of 40% KSI reduction Pedestrians 2010 21 Cyclists 2010 4 Power two wheelers 2010 7 Harrow LPSA Total KSIs per year 2005 90 5 3. PERFOMANCE AGAINST CA Figures X1to X? show Harrow’s KSIs and casualti Tables Y1 to Y? summarises Harrow’s progress in achieving the targets. Figure X1 - Killed and seriously injured casualties against 2010 target 200 180 160 KSIs 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 1990 30 25 Figure XX - Children killed1 and991 seriously injured against 2010 target 20 KSIs 15 1992 10 SUALTY TARGETS TO DATE 5 1993 0 19 1994 90 1991 1995 1992 1996 es rate performance against