Figures highlight improvements to road safety
Released: June 19 2007
Wolverhampton residents have been praised for their contribution to improving safety on the highways as the city’s lowest ever road casualty figures are published.
A total of 886 people were injured on roads in Wolverhampton in 2006, compared to 1,118 in 2005. This is the lowest number since comprehensive records were first compiled in the early 1980s.
Wolverhampton City Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Enterprise, Councillor Peter Bilson, said: “Road safety is a priority for our council and I am proud of all the work that is carried out by the authority to make the roads safer. This includes road safety schemes, awareness raising campaigns and road safety training, particularly with children. Also we must not forget the commitment of our school crossing patrol wardens.
“The improvements in road safety highlighted by these new figures would not have been possible without the contribution that all road users have made.
“However we need to remember that people are still being injured and in some cases, lives are lost on our roads and there is a lot of work needed to continue to reduce the road casualty figures still further.
“I would implore everyone to be continually aware of dangers on the road and use the road with care and courtesy. Road safety is one area of civic life to which we can all make a contribution.”
Notes:
Accident data across the West Midlands conurbation is collected by West Midlands Police and analysed by Mott MacDonald which reports on the progress made annually.
Wolverhampton City Council works to improve road safety in a number of ways, running at least five road safety campaigns each year and a range of initiatives in schools.
Officers promote road safety in all schools at least three times each year.
Between January 2007 and July 2007, more than 2,550 year three children, from over 70 primary and junior schools across the city, will have taken part in a pedestrian training scheme which helps to give them the skills they need to stay safe when out and about near roads.
The council aims to have provided level one cycle training to at least 60 per cent of year six children by the end of the year; literature on road safety is made available to parents and the council is helping every school develop a School Travel Plan by 2010.
The council also provides one driver improvement course each month and works with partners such as the police, fire brigade, and primary care trust to deliver joint road safety events.
The authority carries out a customer satisfaction survey on the education, training and publicity services provided by its road safety team each year, in order to draw up an action plan of further improvements.
In addition the council implements a comprehensive programme of local safety schemes across the city, helping to improve the safety of all road users whilst out and about on our roads.
Issued by the press office.