Calderdale MBC
Wards Affected
All
Cabinet
10th May 2017
7
Calderdale Road Safety Strategy 2017 - 2020
Report of the Director for Communities & Service Support
1.
Purpose of Report
1.1 This report sets out a coherent and co-ordinated plan of action to make
Calderdale’s roads safer using a holistic approach based upon education,
enforcement, engineering and communication. It has been developed through
strong partnership arrangements, led by the Calderdale District Commander
from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, and involving a range of
agencies and Council services.
1.2 This partnership approach reflects the recognition that there are a number of
wider benefits to be gained from improved road safety, including increased
physical activity, better air quality and less congestion which will, in turn, benefit
individual, community and business well-being in the Borough.
2.
Need for a decision
2.1 The Council has a key role to play in improving road safety and tackling antisocial behaviour, and so it is important that Cabinet agree the overall approach
and specific priorities. The Strategy will then be presented to the Community
Safety Partnership for wider endorsement, and the Partnership will be
responsible for overseeing its implementation.
3.
Recommendation
3.1 It is recommended that Cabinet
a) endorse the draft Road Safety Strategy as appended to the report, and
b) propose to Council that the Road Safety Strategy for Calderdale be formally
adopted.
4.
Background
4.1 Roads are essential to how we live. Unfortunately, travelling involves risk and
during 2015 over 1,700 people died on roads in Great Britain. The obvious
benefits from improving road safety measures are saving lives and reducing
injuries. The benefits are more expansive though and extend to several other
agendas.
4.2 Road safety is clearly a significant issue for local communities. The consultation
exercise for the 2016-2021 Police and Crime Plan highlights this. Around 40%
of respondents requested road safety to be a key priority within the Plan. Their
concerns draw attention to several issues including inconsiderate parking and
dangerous driving.
4.3 There is also growing concern regarding road safety in Calderdale. Local Ward
Councillors and community leaders are receiving an increasing number of
complaints about anti-social driving and inconsiderate parking.
4.4 On 30th September 2016, the Community Safety Partnership discussed the
issue. The Partnership agreed that a strategy would help to co-ordinate
initiatives and improve public perception about road safety.
4.5 The District Commander for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
volunteered to lead on this work. On 9th September 2016, Cabinet endorsed the
development of a road safety strategy for the Borough and this is attached at
Appendix 2.
4.6 The first Road Safety Strategy for Calderdale draws upon the professional
knowledge of several partners. Its vision is simply to ‘make Calderdale’s roads
safer’. It acknowledges the background of austerity and the finite resources
available to deliver initiatives. It also recognises that risk is disproportionate
across Calderdale and varies greatly in line with demography. The strategy
therefore supports delivering road safety initiatives in an equitable and riskproportionate manner.
4.7 The three-year strategy focusses on five main priorities to make Calderdale’s
roads safer. These are:

Educating ‘at risk’ groups and individuals
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Engaging with local communities and ‘at risk’ groups or individuals

Enforcing legislation and applying a robust approach to dangerous and
anti-social behaviour

Engineering out road safety risk by making improvements to
carriageways and transportation links

Communicating effectively with partners and local stakeholders
4.8 Achieving these priorities is dependent upon maintaining effective partnerships,
and delivering innovative local initiatives. The Road Safety Partnership will
develop an annual Action Plan to co-ordinate delivery of these initiatives. This
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Action Plan will contain several annual objectives that support each of the key
priorities. It will therefore serve as the main delivery plan for the strategy.
4.9 The long term aim of the Road Safety Strategy is to eliminate road safety
events altogether, and reduce associated casualties to zero. This is an
unrealistic expectation for a three year period, but the first strategy seeks to
achieve incremental reduction in the number of safety events and casualties.
4.10 The Road Safety Partnership will monitor, measure and evaluate performance
by using qualitative and quantitative evaluation. This will include personal injury
collision data, and information regarding human interaction and public
perception about safety.
5.
Options considered
5.1 The need for a strategy is apparent from the high level of community and
Member interest in this agenda, the statistical evidence of need and the
importance of ensuring a co-ordinated and coherent approach. To do nothing
was not seen as an option and this strategy has been developed through
consultation with key stakeholders to create an agreed final draft as attached.
6.
Financial implications
6.1 There are no financial implications directly associated with the draft strategy.
However, it is likely that some of the initiatives presented within the Action Plan
will require funding and these will be funded from existing budgets, from the
growth in the 2017 budget, or by accessing external funding.
7.
Legal Implications
7.1 No legal implications have been identified at this time.
8.
Consultation
8.1 The Calderdale Road Safety Partnership is made up of members from:
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Calderdale MBC
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
West Yorkshire Police
Calderdale NHS Trust
Voluntary Sector representation.
8.2 Extensive consultation has taken place with these partners and they have
worked together to agree the final draft of the strategy.
9.
Environment, Health and Economic Implications
9.1 Government statistics suggest that preventing a road-traffic related death saves
the economy in excess of £2million.
9.2 As identified on page 4 of the strategy, ‘The Benefits of Safer Roads’, numerous
positive implications can be gained as a result of working on the Road Safety
Agenda, these include:
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Sustainable and active travel
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Healthier lifestyles
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Environmental and air quality improvements
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Tackling isolation
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Economic impacts in terms of an accident on a road resulting in
emergency services attendance, traffic implications and affects on local
businesses.
10. Equality and Diversity
10.1 The Road Safety Partnership has used personal injury collision data
demographic information to help target initiatives toward high risk areas and
groups.
10.2 The equality analysis for the strategy accepts that this method of delivery may
exclude certain communities across the Borough. Inevitably these communities
will contain individuals with protected characteristics.
10.3 The Partnership therefore intends to deliver road safety initiatives using an
equitable approach. This will enable efficient and effective use of resources and
target initiatives to where they will provide most benefit.
11. Summary and Recommendations
11.1 The Road Safety Partnership has made considerable progress in developing a
Road Safety Strategy for the Borough. The Strategy will help to steer and coordinate future road safety initiatives to ensure that they deliver maximum
benefit. These initiatives will underpin the five key priorities within the Strategy
and ultimately seek to eliminate road safety events altogether.
_______________________________________________________________________
For further information on this report, contact:
Derek Benn
Community Safety Partnership Manager,
Communities & Service Support
Telephone:
01422 393130
E-mail:
[email protected]
Martyn Greenwood
Telephone:
E-mail:
Calderdale District Commander,
West Yorkshire Fire Service
01422 386856
[email protected]
The documents used in the preparation of this report are:
1.
Calderdale Road Safety Strategy
The documents are available for inspection at: as attached
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Appendix 1
Road Safety Vision for Calderdale
To make the roads of Calderdale as safe as possible for all users - including
pedestrians, cyclists and drivers - through a combination of measures based upon:
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education and engagement to promote sensible behaviour;
the use of high quality and effective engineering interventions to make
networks safer; and
robust and proportionate enforcement to deal with dangerous and irresponsible
behaviour.
This will not only reduce injuries and fatalities on our roads but supports other key
priorities, such as increasing physical activity, improving air quality, dealing with
anti-social behaviour and easing congestion which will, in turn, improve the health
and well-being of individuals, communities and businesses in the Borough.
This approach will be underpinned by strong partnership working between
statutory agencies, voluntary organisations and local communities.
Appendix 2
Foreword
Welcome to the first Road Safety Strategy for Calderdale. This document formalises the
vision and overall aim to improve road safety across the District. It commits to partnership
working between professional services and local communities to achieve improvement.
We present this plan against the backdrop of national austerity and increasing pressure on
public services to deliver efficiency savings. It is therefore a huge challenge to deliver
improvements in public safety with fewer resources. The District is adapting to this
challenge though and there are some fine examples of improved partnership working and
local innovation.
Despite the impact of austerity, we are resolute in making Calderdale’s roads safer. This
strategy acknowledges public concern and local perceptions about road safety. We are
proud though to present this strategy at a time when pedal, and motor cyclist injuries are at
their lowest number for several years and the number of people killed or injured on the
District’s roads is decreasing. While we celebrate this success, we also accept that there is
no room for complacency.
This Strategy recognises that risk is not static and that it changes over time. It also
acknowledges that the risk varies within different areas and within certain demographics.
For example, inexperience and over-confidence puts younger drivers at much more risk
than anyone else on our roads. Statistics show that around 25% of those aged 18-24
experience a road traffic collision within the first two-years of passing their driving test. In
response to this, some of our initiatives will target toward younger drivers. The Strategy
therefore provides the foundation to deliver road safety initiatives in an equitable riskproportionate manner. We encourage all stakeholders to embrace this approach and help
to make Calderdale’s roads safer.
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Key Partners
Calderdale Council (lead officer)
Highways (lead officer)
Police (DC, Chief Superintendent, or Partnerships Officer)
Fire (DC)
Public Health (lead officer/Cabinet Member)
PCC
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The Benefits of Safer Roads
Roads are essential to how we live. We depend on them in getting to work or school, for visiting
friends and relatives, for going shopping, and for socialising. We all use them in some way, by
driving, riding, walking or travelling as a passenger.
Unfortunately, travelling involves an element of risk and during 2015 over 1,700 people died on
roads in Great Britain. In 2016, fatalities on West Yorkshire’s roads reached their lowest ever
recorded level. Despite the encouraging progress we must continue to reduce the level of risk on
our roads. The obvious benefits from improving road safety measures are saving lives and
reducing injuries. The benefits are more expansive though and extend to several other agendas.
Sustainable and Active Travel
Walking, cycling and using public transport are all examples of sustainable and more
environmentally friendly ways of commuting. Making roads safer for these forms of transport
encourages greater participation, and this means fewer journeys in cars. Currently car occupant
casualties represent 62% of all people killed and injured on West Yorkshire’s roads. Any reduction
in car journeys therefore helps to reduce the risk of collisions. There is also some evidence from
other countries that higher numbers of cyclists leads to lower cyclist death rates.
Heathier Lifestyles
Physical inactivity is a major concern for Public Health England . Statistics suggest that around 18%
of year six children and 27% of adults are obese in Calderdale. Obesity often leads to longer-term
medical conditions and increases the demand on health and social care resources. Encouraging
people to include active travel as part of a daily routine is a simple, way for people to live healthier
lifestyles. Some of the road safety initiatives promoted by this strategy will help to increase uptake
in activities like walking and cycling.
Environmental and Air Quality Impact
The West Yorkshire Local Transport Plan highlights the need to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. Reductions are needed to reduce global warming and impacts upon the local economy
and health. The Plan states that road traffic causes 21% of carbon emissions in West Yorkshire.
Cars, heavy good vehicles, and vans account for 97% of these emissions, compared with just 3%
for busses.
Air pollution affects amenity, environment, life and healthy life expectancy. The two main causes of
lung disease are smoking and air pollution. Calderdale has one of the highest rates of premature
death due to respiratory disease. Pollution and road safety issues discourage physical activities
like walking and cycling and are therefore a concern. Improvements to infrastructure and improving
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road safety measures help to reduce vehicle journeys and reduce emissions. Again, the road
safety initiatives promoted by this strategy will help encourage more people to lead more active
lifestyles.
Isolation
Around 80% of Calderdale is described as rural. It has one of the smallest District populations in
England, but geographically, it is one of the largest. The District’s topography and settlement
patterns have implications for commuting, and access to public transportation. Research also
indicates that road safety concerns discourage certain people from travelling and lead to fewer
opportunities to socialise.
People who are lonely often crave human contact. Research shows that loneliness and social
isolation is harmful to health. Recent studies suggest that around 1.2 million older people are
chronically lonely in the UK and two fifths use the television as their main company. Improving the
perception of road safety and providing accessible transport therefore have particular benefits to
those living in remote communities, and those who live alone.
Economic
It is not possible to attach a value to life. Government statistics suggest though that preventing
road traffic related death saves the economy in excess of £2 million. A recent study by Public
health England also suggests that the cost to the NHS from inactive lifestyles is £455 million per
year. Every death and injury that is prevented therefore has a beneficial impact upon the resources
and finances of public services.
Businesses also suffer considerable losses through loss of trade due to serious road traffic
collisions and traffic congestion. Reducing the risk of collisions on the District’s roads and
improving traffic management schemes therefore helps to stimulate the local economy.
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Our Vision
To Make Calderdale’s Roads Safer
Our Aim
Work in partnership to improve safety on our roads and to promote wider health
benefits
Our Priorities
We will realise our Vision and Aim by adopting the following Priorities:

Educating at risk groups and individuals and improving knowledge and understanding of
road safety

Engaging with local communities and “at risk” groups and individuals

Enforcing legislation and applying a robust approach to dangerous and anti-social
behaviour

Engineering out road safety risk by improvements to the District’s carriageways and
transportation links

Communicating effectively with partners and local stakeholders
Our Priorities strive to reduce deaths and injuries on our roads. They will also support
wider health benefits like improving air quality, and active lifestyles.
We will deliver our Priorities by:
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Maintaining strong and collaborative partnerships between statutory agencies, voluntary
organisations, regional groups and local communities
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Using resources in a smart and efficient manner
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Promoting community participation and support for local initiatives
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Delivering innovative and creative local solutions
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Celebrating and sharing success through effective communication
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How we will deliver our Priorities
We will achieve our Vision and Aim by:
Reducing the Number of People Killed and Seriously Injured
We will:
 Promote strong partnerships that embed our five Priorities; Enforcement;
Engineering; Education, Engagement and Communication
 Engage effectively with local communities
 Strive to meet long-term West Yorkshire Transport Plan targets , and reduce deaths
& serious injuries on our roads
 Make effective use of information and data to drive local initiatives and to evaluate
effectiveness
Improving Confidence of Road Safety in Calderdale
We will:
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Improve the perception of road safety and reduce the number of casualties on Calderdale’s
roads
Improve dialogue and communication between The Road Safety Partnership, local road
safety groups and local communities
Promote local initiatives and celebrate success
Increase the opportunities for victims to engage in restorative justice processes
Reduce road safety offences by proactive enforcement
Creating a Safe and Active Travel Environment
We will:
 Support, promote and enforce 20mph areas of Calderdale
 Improve quality of life by promoting active lifestyles
 Use the Active Calderdale’ initiative to promote active commuting, for example
walking and cycling
 Reduce pollution levels and improve the air quality in Calderdale
 Deliver improved road safety education packages within our schools and to higher
risk groups
Establish Effective Links with Regional & National Road Safety Groups
We will:
 Ensure that Calderdale has regional representation at road safety forums
 Build upon existing relationships, and develop fresh alliances between the
Calderdale Road Safety Partnership and other road safety stakeholders
 Align plans and initiatives to regional and national programmes, and agendas
Reduce the number of people Killed and Seriously Injured (KSI) on
Calderdale’s Roads
We will:
 Promote an environment where we can work together
 Engage with the community and deal effectively with issues that matter
 Increase your confidence in your local neighbourhood and with services
 Keep you informed and work with you to resolve any problems
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How Safe and Healthy are roads in the Calderdale District?
Every year statistics are provided to local authorities and the department of Transport
regarding personal injury collisions. Calderdale Council has adopted a road safety target of
reducing KSI in the district by half from 2011 to 2026 (KSI is national data which captures
details for people who sadly lose their lives or are seriously injured on roads). These
reflect national targets for reducing the numbers of KSI’s. The baseline for these targets is
using the average figure for the period 2005-2009.
Performance against KSI Targets for Calderdale (2010-2026)
During 2016, Calderdale District recorded the highest percentage reduction for car
occupant casualties (all severities) in West Yorkshire. Performance last year (338 injuries)
was 45.6% below the baseline figure. This performance is accompanied by a marginal
reduction in the number of KSI’s. Last year, 35 car occupants were killed, or seriously
injured, representing a 25% reduction against the target. The 2026 killed and seriously
injured target is 23 though.
Calderdale performs well with statistics around those KSI on pedal cycles with a drop of
27% from 2015. This is the lowest figure recorded in recent years and performance
represents a 20% decrease against the baseline target. Similarly during 2016, the total
number of cyclist injuries also reduced to the lowest level over recent years. The statistics
show that 40 cyclists sustained an injury, compared to the average of 45 for previous
years. The District needs to be mindful though of other transportation research compiled
by Elsevier. This research highlights that Calderdale has the highest cyclist serious injury
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rate for in West Yorkshire and this is three-times worse than the national average (the
research calculates rates using casualties per kilometre travelled).
Over the last 3 years there has been a 20% reduction in the number of children KSI’s on
Calderdale’s roads. The numbers are small, and therefore performance is sensitive to any
minor increase, or decrease in injuries. During 2016, the number of children KSI was 8, the
same figure as the 2026 target.
The figures published relating to Calderdale are encouraging and are favourable in relation
to other local Authorities, however, looking at the figures for the last 5 years as a whole
there does not seem to be a definite pattern of reduction in KSI. With this in mind and a
challenging target set for 2026 the need for a Road Safety Strategy involving all key
agencies is of great importance.
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Equality Analysis
The Equality Act 2010 combines over 116 separate pieces of legislation into one single Act
including the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. It provides a legal framework to protect the
rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all.
The Act simplifies, strengthens and harmonises the current legislation to provide Britain
with a new discrimination law which protects individuals from unfair treatment and
promotes a fair and more equal society. It imposes the following equality duties upon
public services:

To remove or minimising disadvantages suffered by people due to their protected
characteristics
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To meet the needs of people from protected groups where these are different from
the needs of other people
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To encourage people from protected groups to take part in activities where existing
participation is disproportionately low
Broadly Calderdale Council tries to integrate these principles into general day-to-day
business. The design of this strategy and delivery of associated initiatives therefore
reflects this commitment.
Equality analysis and an equality impact assessment capture the potential impact of
implementing this strategy. The results indicate that that there will be very negative
impacts and that the anticipated outcomes will be positive. The equality analysis does
accept and account for the finite resources available to deliver road safety initiatives in
Calderdale though. The District must therefore target and deliver initiatives to where they
will provide most benefit. Consequently we will deliver this strategy using an equitable
approach, informed by statistical data, demographic information, and dialogue with local
communities.
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How we Deliver Road Safety through our Partnership
The Road Safety Partnership works in partnership with all members to make the roads of
Calderdale as safe as possible for all users.
The partnership has three distinctive tiers based on agreeing strategy in line with national,
regional and local priorities (Calderdale Road Safety Partnership). There is a co-ordination
level through the Safer Roads Groups and finally at delivery level within neighbourhoods.
The Road Safety Partnership reports into the Calderdale Community Safety Partnership as
well as providing an annual report to Calderdale Council.
Calderdale Community
Safety Partnership
Calderdale Council
Calderdale
Road Safety Partnership
West
Yorkshire
Police
Education /
Public
Health
Calderdale
Council
Highways
NHS /
Yorkshire
Ambulance
Service
Calderdale Safer Roads
Group
West
Yorkshire
Fire &
Rescue
Service
Calderdale
Council
Communicati
ons
Community Road Safety Groups
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Delivery Plan
‘Reduce the Number of people who are killed and seriously injured on Calderdale’s
roads’
Current Initiatives…..
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Active community road safety groups
Delivery of road safety education delivered in our schools
Targeting dangerous driving and anti-social behaviour on our roads via “Operation Hawmill”
Adapting and updating our roads to improve road safety
We are committed to delivering…
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Better targeting for initiatives and ensuring that they reflect areas of concern
Better arrangements for sharing information with partners and key stakeholders
A revised partnership approach to deliver age-appropriate road safety education to all
students in Calderdale
A prioritised approach to engineering and redesign work on our roads that promotes
accident and injury reduction
An expansion of the successful Operation Hawmill to other areas of the District securing
funding for it’s continuation
More empowerment for local groups and communities to heighten awareness of road safety
A review process following incidents that result in death and/or serious injuries on our roads
A process that captures and shares the key outcomes and learning outcomes from road
safety events
Periodic evaluation of performance using quantitative and qualitative information
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‘Improve Confidence of Road Safety in Calderdale’
Current Initiatives….
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Consultation with local communities regarding highway alterations
Visible Police presence in parts of Calderdale as part of Operation Hawmill
Local Councillor engagement via the Safer, Cleaner, Greener locality meetings
We are committed to…
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Providing a dedicated webpage containing details about performance, local initiatives and
associated road safety information
Using data to evidence why we undertake initiatives and evaluate their effectiveness
Developing a ‘frequently asked questions’ site for engineering/infrastructure issues
Forming strong relationship between all road safety partners
Developing a collective, and transparent plan of action for road safety across the District
Using a central source to communicate road safety messages and details of initiatives
Dialogue with local road safety groups and locality forums to capture everyone’s ideas
about improving safety on our roads
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‘Creating a Safe and Active Travel Environment’
Current practice…
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Creating 20mph areas across the District
Encouraging active, and safe travel for younger people via the “Bike-Ability” and “Walking
Bus” schemes
Maintaining bus and cycle lanes
Growing the Junior Warden Scheme via Neighbourhood Wardens and Neighbourhood
Policing Teams
We are committed to…
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Engaging with communities about 20mph areas and communicating positive outcomes
from the ‘Love our Streets’ 20mph initiative
Within resources available we will enter into dialogue with communities when there are
specific concerns and/or major schemes planned
Legally enforcing the 20mph areas in the Borough
Reducing pollution levels and promoting healthy lifestyles by increasing the number of nonmotorised travel schemes
Ensuring that urban and rural carriageways provide a safe and healthy environment
Creating a stronger links with Calderdale Council’s ‘Active Calderdale’ scheme
Delivering effective road safety messages in partnership with local road safety groups
Encouraging participation in public forums and engaging with local communities
Stimulating ownership of road safety within local communities by using local champions
and ambassadors
Reducing pollution levels by implementing schemes like the Smart Traffic Management
system
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‘Establish Effective Links with Regional and National Road Safety Organisations’
Current Practice…
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Supporting the West Yorkshire Local Transport Plan
We are committed to…
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Developing existing partnerships with; The West Yorkshire Road Safety Executive, West
Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, the Police and Crime
Commissioner, West Yorkshire Casualty Reduction Partnership, Brake
Identify good practice from other local authorities and partnerships and replicate this in
Calderdale
Support the Government’s ‘Think!’ Road Safety campaigns and link them to local and
borough wide initiatives
Supporting the Police and Crime Plan
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Case Studies
The following are just a few examples of road safety initiatives that are already operating in
Calderdale. They show that local partnership working is delivering some innovative and original
solutions against four of our main Priorities.
Educating
Every year the Victoria Theatre in Halifax provides the venue for the Road Safety Roadshow. The
Road Show is presented by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and takes place during
National Road Safety Week. The target audience is local sixth form students who are effectively
the next generation of drivers. It aims to bring home the horrific consequences of road traffic
collisions. It presents hard-hitting messages about the consequences of speeding, using portable
devices, not wearing seat belts, and driving while under the influence. Each year, the event attracts
around 800 people and receives positive feedback from students and teachers
Engaging
The Safer Roads Group has recently worked in partnership with Whitehill Community Academy to
produce a ‘Keep It “Safe” video. The video contains safety messages aimed at children and
parents. This video is now available on social media and will potentially be shown in a variety of
public sector sites. The video will also be distributed to every primary school in Calderdale.
Enforcing
West Yorkshire Police are continuing to deliver Operation Hawmill. The operation uses Traffic
Police Officers to target speeding, failure to wear seatbelts, and inappropriate use of mobile
phones. The scheme has successfully targeted several areas around Halifax, resulting in seizure
of several vehicles.
Engineering
Calderdale are proactively introducing a number of 20mph areas across the Borough and
to date, the evidence suggests that where they are introduced they can create a small
reduction in speed (approx. 2.2 mph) and a reduction in casualties of around 22% over a 3
year period. Where monitoring indicates that the desired reduction in speeds is not being
achieved additional measures such as Vehicle Activated Signs and physical calming
features are also being introduced to reinforce the speed limit.
The introduction of these zones give the Police another weapon in their armoury, as well
as being able to actively enforce these speed limits, they provide them with additional
options where accidents do occur.
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