Serving the people of Cumbria cumbria.gov.uk

Cumbria County Council

Annual Road Safety

Plan2015/16

Safer drivers Save lives

2

Cumbria County Council

This Annual Road Safety Plan has been produced primarily for the use by the Partners, but it is hoped that it will also be of use to elected members and any individual, organisation or group that has an interest in Road Safety. This particular document merges the former Annual Road Safety Report and Plan documents in to one for the first time.

BackgroundThe CRSP Annual Road Safety Report of 2013/14 set local forecasts for incremental casualty reduction in Cumbria until the end of 2020. These forecasts were considered prudent given the CRSP view of the time that casualty reductions are becoming progressively harder to achieve and that they would soon reach a plateau.

These local forecasts are set out in the table below and are based upon recent performance. The desire of the CRSP is however is to reduce casualties to the lowest levels it can using the resources that it has available as it considers that one casualty is one too many.

3

Annual Road Safety Plan 2015/16

Year All KSI Child KSI Fatalities

2014 226 17 272015 220 17 272016 214 17 272017 208 16 262018 202 16 262019 198 16 262020 194 15 25

*The method used to derive these local forecasts is available from the Road Safety Coordinator

Road Safety Report 2014/15The following section summarises the activities and findings of the CRSP during the 2014/15 financial year and makes use of these findings to define the extent of its planned activities for 2015/16.

During the course of 2014 the DfT released their Reported Road Casualties Great Britain: Annual Report 2013. The report confirms the CRSP local view that a plateau is being reached as nationally, since 2010, casualty numbers have remained roughly the same and concludes:

It is very difficult to isolate the impact of a single factor in the casualty trends, but broadly, the long-term decrease that we have seen in the past decade is likely to have been driven by a combination of:

- Road safety education and training.- Improved vehicle and highway technology/engineering.- Reduction in speeds (there is evidence that speed limit compliance has improved over the

last decade and average free-flow speeds have decreased).- Improved post-accident care to improve outcomes (eg the creation of major trauma

centres in England).

These factors will have both reduced the likelihood of an accident in the first place, as well as reducing the severity and number of casualties when they do occur.

There is evidence that economic recession have helped to reduce fatalities due to the need to be more conservative with the use of fuel.

There is also evidence that particularly cold or wet weather moderates the behavior of drivers such that they become more cautious and less inclined to take risks.

Since the coming of austerity road safety organisations have reduced resources available to them with which to make an impact.

It is not a coincidence therefore that In November 2014 the Road Safety Foundation recommended changes to the national focus on road safety over the next decade in their making Road Safety Pay report.

Their recommendations to tackle the plateau effect include:

1 The Department for Transport should develop a ten year ‘Towards Zero’ strategy for road deaths. 2 The Government should pilot innovative Social Impact Bonds (‘Safety Bonds’) to finance new

safety programmes.3 Britain should develop a National Older Driver Strategy and create a taskforce to implement

this plan. 4 Establish an independent Road Safety Inspectorate and raise the safety of local authority ‘A’

roads to a 3-star minimum level by 2030.

In the meantime the DFT Strategic Framework for Road Safety document of May 2011 shall continue to apply.

4

CRSP 2014 casualty reduction performance

*The 2013 figures have changed slightly on those in the report of last year following verification by the DfT during 2014. Likewise the 2014 figures will be subject to minor change until verified by the DfT in 2015. **Data source Cumbria County Council.

The above table illustrates that the total number of those reported as being killed or seriously injured (All KSI) on Cumbria’s roads in 2014 has continued in its trend of falling since 2003 when monitoring began. Whilst the Partnership is pleased with this result it is however clear from the graph that the total number of casualties has risen and by 10.4% on the 2013 figure and brings to an end the annual reduction in this figure that has occurred since 2004.

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

All KSI 446 434 427 344 319 276 247 233 249 196 239 226 Child KSI 46 53 34 27 18 22 22 35 18 10 15 12 Fatal 53 57 45 59 45 29 23 30 30 30 27 25 Slights 2250 2302 2304 2136 2099 1911 1782 1586 1506 1511 1437 1625 Total 2696 2736 2731 2480 2418 2187 2029 1819 1755 1707 1676 1851 casualties

***Dft Agreed figures

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 20140

100200300400500600700800900

1000110012001300140015001600170018001900200021002200230024002500260027002800

Cumbria County Council

Total casualties

5

However, the CRSP managed by a Board and 2 sub-groups considers itself to be an effective and above average partnership and this is confirmed in the following extract taken from the DfT Annual Report for 2013.

2005-2009 KSI 2013 KS 2013 performance relative average figure toaveragefor2005-2009(%)

Cumbria 323 239 -26Norfolk 462 392 -15Devon 291 310 6Lincolnshire 411 415 1Northumberland 189 137 -28Lancashire 848 642 -24England 25958 21630 -21

The CRSP casualty reduction performance for 2014 shows that we can longer expect to see year on year reductions in the total number of casualties as we have enjoyed over the past decade.

In anticipation of this performance, the CRSP Board in September 2014 tasked several members of its CRASH group to:

1 Review the nature of the road safety “problem” in Cumbria.2 Compile a Road Safety Plan for 2015/16 that would tackle the road safety problem,

incorporate a response to austerity and keep the CRSP on track with their local casualty reduction forecasts.

Findings of the CRASH task GroupIn summary the task group found that:

Collisions can happen anytime and anywhere and involve all age ranges and user groups, the majority of these collisions have causation factors that relate to poor road user behaviour rather than an aspect of the infrastructure they were using or a mechanical failure of the vehicle they were driving at the time.

Poor behaviour stems from the fact that over the past couple of decades driving for some has become an extension of self and fulfils the need for status, excitement, freedom and individuality in a world full of rules and restrictions. Driving confidence does not often match driving competence.

The following tables help to define the road safety problem in Cumbria in 2014, all of which, with small variations represent a typical year.

Total Casualties by user group involvement

User Casualties

Motorcyclist aged less than 18 11Motorcyclist aged 18-24 27Motorcyclist aged 25 and above 101

Motorcyclist Total 139

Cyclist aged less than 16 19Cyclist aged 16 and above 122

Cyclist Total 141

Annual Road Safety Plan 2015/16

(Table continued over page)

6

User Casualties

Pedestrians aged less than 16 52Pedestrians aged 16 and above 133

Pedestrian Total 185

Occupants of 4 wheel plus vehicles aged 18-24 458Occupants of 4 wheel plus vehicles aged 25 and 64 739Occupants of 4 wheel plus vehicles aged 65+ 172

Total 1369

Other users 17

Totals 1851

Casualties by District boundary

2014 Allerdale Barrow Carlisle Copeland Eden South Lakes

All KSI 42 23 33 29 43 56Child KSI 2 3 3 2 1 1Fatal 6 2 1 3 3 9Slights 335 163 357 254 200 316

Casualty total 377 186 390 283 243 372

Casualties: Rural v Urban

All Cumbria Roads including M6 Casualties 2014

Urbanroads(definedasroadswithaspeedlimit 828lessthanorequalto40mph) Ruralroads(definedasroadswithaspeedlimitover40mph) 1023

Total 1851

The task group concluded that In order to influence road user behaviour we need to continue to try to force a culture change, so that all road users take responsibility for their own actions by:

1 Being more cautious and not taking risks.2 Being in a fit condition to drive and driving for the conditions.3 Staying attentive and not being distracted.4 Ensuring that their vehicles are fit to drive at all times.5 Ensuring that they have the skills and knowledge to drive safely.6 Learning from their near misses and mistakes.

This culture change can best be achieved through education that explains imaginatively the many possible consequences of being irresponsible road users and that being involved in a road accident can change lives forever.

It was the recommendation of the task group that in order to keep the CRSP on track with their local casualty reduction forecasts the Plan for 2015/16 needs to include a mix of activities aimed at our high risk groups who are:

Cumbria County Council

7

1 Car drivers who are aged 16 to 25 2 All Motorcyclists3 Junior pedestrians and cyclists 4 Car drivers who are 25 to 755 Car drivers who are 75+

Of which 1 and 2 are our highest priorities and that we also need to carry out a number of supporting activities in order to comprehensively manage road safety.

Road Safety activities carried out during 2014/15The following figures detail the provision of the CRSP core activities during the year:

RoadAwarenessTraining(RAT)providedbytheCumbriaFireandRescueService1940 secondary school pupils received RAT training at school404 Pass Plus Plus clients received RAT training at their local Fire Station

Pass Plus+ provided by the County Council to young novice drivers404 Pass Plus clients received their subsidy vouchers to undertake Pass Plus with a driving instructor

Bike safe motorcycle training provided by the Cumbria Constabulary assisted by the IAM63 attended the Bike Safe sessions

Safety Camera Unit and Speed Awareness courses37751 recorded speeding offences. Of which:34036 offences were in the Speed Awareness Bracket19994 attended the Speed awareness courses

Drive Safely for Longer course for those who are 65+ provided by the County Council110 completed the Drive Safety for Longer course

Bikeability Cycle Training4900 received cycle training mainly at school

The Enhanced Rider scheme and Skills for LifeDuring the course of the year we decided to boost our provision of post - test training for motorcyclists through the subsidy of the Enhanced Rider Scheme of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (former DSA) and the IAM Skills for Life courses.

The uptake for these schemes was 95 and 32 respectively. For further details of the years activities, please refer to the minutes of the monthly CRASH group meetings.

Annual Road Safety Plan 2015/16The following plan puts in to place the recommendations of the task group. We will:

1 Carry out specific syllabused activities to influence the behaviour of our high risk groups who are:• Car drivers who are aged 16 to 25• All Motorcyclists• Junior pedestrians and cyclists• Car drivers who are 25 to 75 • Car drivers who are 75+

2 Provide a safety camera unit linked to speed awareness courses for minor speeding offences.3 Continue to operate the CRASH group as one that is responsible for:

• Addressing valid community concerns• Reacting to individual collision events, as appropriate and emerging issues• Preparation for high risk events• Enforcement operations for our highest priorities• Seasonal and topic publicity campaigns contained in a Communications Plan supported

by enforcement operations

Annual Road Safety Plan 2015/16

8

4 Maintain a safe infrastructure5 Seek to improve the quality and reliability of the road safety data that is captured and shared

by the Partnership.6 Engage with communities and their representatives upon road safety7 Support the popular Road Safety Weeks8 Review the effectiveness of our traditional interventions and seek best practice9 Reinvigorate regional working10 Promote our road safety products and our slogan

Cumbria County Council

Cumbria County Council

Appendix

CRSP Communications PlanThe table below captures the campaigns that will occur in Cumbria during 2015/16, which if coincident allows us to “ride on the back” of national campaigns such as those of DfT THINK. In addition to these we will do releases as requested by CRASH on an “as and when” basis and in support of enforcement operations.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Theme Mobile Road Safety Seatbelts Motorcycles Pedal cycles Drink & Rural Roads Speed Seatbelts Darker Winter Drink & Phones & around and speed Drugs Nights and driving Drugs Distractions schools Consruction and Use

Local Appleby Appleby Kendal events Horse Horse Calling Fair Fair Other UK Road BRAKE campaigns Safety Road Week Safety (CFOA) Week “Be safe “Lets look out there” out for 9th-15th each other 17th-23rd