Our Aim
The Local Safety Schemes programme aims to prioritise road safety projects where they’re needed most, using collision data, community feedback, and on-site assessments to guide funding. The goal is to make streets safer for all road users, with a particular focus on vulnerable road users.
How We Prioritise
Each year, the road safety team reviews collision data and other key factors to shape the Local Safety Scheme programme. Sites are prioritised based on collision history, severity, and frequency, with consideration given to vulnerable road users, traffic flows, speeds, safe system assessments, and public concern. This process ensures funding is directed to the locations most in need, though some sites may remain on the list for several years.
What We Can Do
We tailor road safety measures to each location, focusing on collision patterns, local needs, and community feedback to deliver the most effective solutions.
We use a range of measures to make our roads safer. The best option, or combination of options, for each location is based on factors such as the type of road, how it’s used, the local layout, issues found during the annual safety review, identifiable patterns in collisions resulting in injury, and the needs of vulnerable road users. We also consider cost-benefit analysis, community feedback, impact on businesses, public transport and emergency services, to ensure each solution is both effective and practical.
Road safety interventions are prioritised based on evidence, with road traffic collisions a key factor.
You can view official, police-reported injury collisions across Great Britain for free on the CrashMap website.
Here’s a list of commonly used traffic calming features, click on them to find out a little more information:
Where are they commonly used
Residential Streets and Local Distributor Roads, especially in 20 mph or 30 mph areas where traffic needs to be slowed, but buses, ambulances, and fire engines can still pass with minimal delay and discomfort.
Why they are used
Vertical traffic calming, such as speed cushions, is designed to slow vehicles down. Studies show that mean speeds over cushions are typically 15–19 mph, with about 21 mph between cushions. Even small reductions make a big difference to safety: research suggests that lowering the average speed by just 1 mph can reduce collisions by around 5%.
While before / after evidence on vehicle emissions is mixed, in busy urban areas, where traffic already stops and starts, 20 mph driving often produces fewer carbon emissions. Traffic-calmed streets also see fewer vehicles and feel safer for walking and cycling. This not only encourages healthier lifestyles but also helps improve air quality and reduces the number and severity of injury collisions.
Where are they commonly used
Residential Streets and Local Roads with High Pedestrian Activity, especially in 20 mph or 30 mph areas with schools, parks, or playgrounds, where slower traffic is essential for safety and data shows high risk to road users.
Why they are used
Studies show that mean vehicle speeds over road humps are between 13–15 mph, with speeds between humps averaging around 21 mph. Even small reductions make a big difference to safety: research suggests that lowering the average speed by just 1 mph can reduce collisions by around 5%.
While before / after evidence on vehicle emissions is mixed, in busy urban areas, where traffic already stops and starts, 20 mph driving often produces fewer carbon emissions. Traffic-calmed streets also see fewer vehicles and feel safer for walking and cycling. This not only encourages healthier lifestyles but also helps improve air quality and reduces the number and severity of injury collisions.
Where are they commonly used
Town Centres, High Streets, and sometimes near schools, where pedestrian and other forms of sustainable activity is considered a priority.
Why they are used
Raised tables combine the benefits of a speed hump with a flat pedestrian-friendly surface, making them ideal for areas where both speed reduction and pedestrian priority are needed.
Studies show that mean vehicle speeds over road humps are between 13–15 mph, with speeds between measures averaging around 21 mph. Even small reductions make a big difference to safety: research suggests that lowering the average speed by just 1 mph can reduce collisions by around 5%.
While before / after evidence on vehicle emissions is mixed, in busy urban areas, where traffic already stops and starts, 20 mph driving often produces fewer carbon emissions. Traffic-calmed streets also see fewer vehicles and feel safer for walking and cycling. This not only encourages healthier lifestyles but also helps improve air quality and reduces the number and severity of injury collisions.
Where are they commonly used
Road narrowings reduce the carriageway width, usually by extending the kerb at junctions, build-outs, central islands, pedestrian refuges, and the formalisation of on-street car parking. They are common on local distributor roads and in busy pedestrian areas such as schools, parks, town centres, and high streets. They are useful in reducing pedestrian crossing distances at junctions where HGV traffic is uncommon.
Why are they used
Narrowings encourage drivers to keep tighter road positioning and to discourage overtaking, which can help reduce speeds. They are often chosen where speed is not the main safety concern, or where other calming methods are unsuitable. They can also support pedestrian safety with features like dropped kerbs and tactile paving, or be combined with speed cushions where conditions and cost–benefit analysis support it.
Where are they commonly used
Residential streets and local roads where vehicle speeds are higher than desired. They are designed to create a zigzag or lateral shift in the road, which encourages drivers to reduce speed. Chicanes can be combined with other traffic calming features, such as build-outs or pedestrian refuges, to improve safety and create more pedestrian-friendly streets.
Why are they used
Chicanes slow traffic by requiring drivers to steer around alternating obstacles, reducing vehicle speeds and the risk of collisions. They are particularly effective in visually signalling the need to slow down, making streets safer for pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.
Depending on the design of the chicane, research indicates that chicanes are likely to achieve an average mean speed of 27mph.
Where are they commonly used
Priority Give Way measures are typically found on narrow streets or minor roads that join busier routes. They are often used in residential areas, town centres, and other locations where access for larger vehicles must be maintained. These measures work by creating points where drivers naturally give way to opposing traffic, helping to slow vehicles and improve safety. For them to be effective, traffic flows need to be balanced so that this interaction between opposing directions is naturally encouraged.
Why are they used
Priority Give Way encourages vehicles to slow at key points, increasing driver awareness in areas with high pedestrian activity. It also allows for the formalisation of on-street parking where space is limited, contributing to calmer, safer, and more pedestrian-friendly streets. While exact speed reductions vary depending on traffic flow and street layout, this measure effectively complements other traffic calming features to enhance road safety.
Where are they commonly used
Mini roundabouts are typically installed at junctions where two or more minor roads meet. They are often found in residential areas, town centres, and locations with moderate traffic volumes. These features are suitable where a compact solution is needed to control traffic flow without significantly impeding larger vehicles, such as buses or emergency services.
Why are they used
They are used to calm traffic at junctions by requiring drivers to slow down, which reduces the risk and severity of collisions. Mini-roundabouts maintain traffic flow while lowering approach speeds to around 20–25 mph, improve pedestrian and cyclist safety, and provide a cost-effective and flexible solution for managing vehicle movement in built-up areas.
Where are they commonly used
Road markings such as central hatching and edge-of-carriageway lines are typically found on wider road, bends, junctions, pedestrian crossings, and sections with high traffic or limited visibility. They are also used on major and rural roads where physical traffic calming measures are unsuitable.
Why are they used
These markings guide drivers, help maintain lane discipline, subtly reduce vehicle speed and reduce collision risks by clearly defining safe areas to drive. They are a cost-effective way to improve road safety, especially where more expensive traffic calming measures are impractical or unsupported by evidence.
Where are they commonly used
Vehicle Activated Signs (VAS) are installed in locations where extra driver attention is desirable, but where more intensive traffic calming measures may not be justified. You’ll often find them outside schools, near pedestrian crossings, or on roads with sharp bends and hidden junctions. They’re also used where drivers transition from faster roads to lower speed limits, particularly when traditional traffic calming is not cost-effective or feasible.
Why are they used
These signs are designed to make roads safer by reacting directly to driver behaviour. If you’re going too fast, the sign lights up to warn you providing additional benefit compared to a normal road sign. By grabbing attention at the right moment, VAS encourage safer speeds, reduce accidents, and help protect people who live, walk, and drive in the area. They are also a cost-effective solution in situations where road safety concerns have been identified, but a cost-benefit analysis shows that physical traffic calming measures, such as speed humps, cannot be justified.
Where are they commonly used
Average speed cameras are an expensive solution to speed management, so they’re only installed where speeding is a persistent problem, a high volume of collisions have been linked to excessive speed, and other road safety measures are not suitable.
In Wolverhampton, average speed enforcement is mainly considered for use on busy A-roads, but you’ll also see this type of camera on motorways and through roadworks where keeping traffic flowing steadily is especially important.
Why are they used
Unlike fixed cameras, average speed systems measure a driver’s speed over a distance rather than at a single point. This encourages smoother driving and more consistent compliance with the limit, instead of sudden braking at camera sites. By tackling persistent speeding and reducing the risk of high-speed collisions, they help make busy roads safer for all users. Although costly, they are considered a highly effective tool where other measures are not appropriate, and enforcement is considered the only option.
Where are they commonly used
20mph limits are introduced in places where slower speeds make streets safer and more pleasant for everyone. You’ll often see them in residential areas, outside schools, on busy shopping streets, and in other locations where people walking, cycling, or spending time in the community are the main priority.
Where a cost-benefit analysis shows a strong potential to reduce casualties, 20 mph limits are often combined with other safety measures, such as speed cushions or raised tables, to make them even more effective. Streets with high pedestrian activity, like school zones and town centres, are particularly likely to benefit from these combined measures.
Why are they used
Lower speeds make streets safer for everyone. Drivers have more time to react, and the risk and severity of collisions are reduced, helping protect children, pedestrians, and cyclists. When paired with other safety measures, 20 mph zones can be even more effective at preventing accidents. They also encourage people to walk and cycle by making streets feel calmer and more inviting. Introducing 20 mph limits is part of a wider effort to promote active travel, reduce traffic injuries, and create healthier, more liveable communities.
Where are they commonly used
Waiting and loading restrictions are applied on streets where parked or stationary vehicles could create safety hazards or disrupt traffic flow. This includes areas near junctions, pedestrian crossings, major roads, narrow roads, and outside schools, as well as locations where visibility splays need to be kept clear to ensure drivers and pedestrians can see and be seen.
Why are they used
These restrictions help to improve road safety and keep traffic moving efficiently. By preventing vehicles from stopping in critical areas, they reduce the risk of collisions, maintain clear visibility splays, and support safer walking and cycling routes. They also contribute to a more reliable and efficient road network for all road users.
Where are they commonly used
Traffic bollards can be installed along pavements, pedestrian routes, and areas near schools or busy streets where vehicles might otherwise park or encroach.
Because bollards are a relatively expensive solution, locations are carefully prioritised. Each site is assessed based on factors such as reported collisions linked to inconsiderate parking, proximity to schools with footway parking issues, and pedestrian areas with high footfall. Before installing bollards, the need for waiting and loading restrictions is investigated and implemented where possible to address parking issues, with bollards used only where these measures are insufficient to maintain safety and accessibility.
Why are they used
Bollards help improve road safety and pedestrian accessibility by physically preventing pavement parking and keeping pedestrian routes clear. They also help maintain visibility splays at junctions and crossings, reduce conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians, and support safer, more reliable walking routes, including for children travelling to and from school.