From left: Simon Foster, West Midlands PCC, Mat MacDonald, road safety commissioner, Richard Parker, mayor of the West Midlands and Beccy Marston, active travel commissioner
Mat MacDonald says it is an “immense privilege” to have been appointed the West Midlands road safety commissioner – said to be the first role of its kind in the UK.
Mr MacDonald is an NHS doctor with experience supporting victims of road collisions and is a previous chair of the Better Streets for Birmingham group.
His appointment, made by mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker, comes alongside a new active travel commissioner.
Beccy Marston has been appointed to that role, bringing her 17 years of experience working with communities, councils, charities and private sector organisations on initiatives to encourage more people to cycle and walk.
Both will work closely with Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and partners, including the police, fire service and local councils, to deliver for the people of the region.
The mayor said: “I’ve seen the devastating impact dangerous driving has on victims and their loved ones. That’s why making our roads safer is not just a priority – it’s a duty.
“Linked to this are our plans to encourage more people to choose cycling, walking and wheeling for their shorter journeys – to improve our environment, our health and reduce the traffic congestion on our roads.
“And in Mat and Beccy I have people with valuable experience, enthusiasm and determination to help deliver on my pledge to make travel in our region easier, safer, and more affordable for everyone.”
The key target for Mat, set out in the Regional Road Safety Strategy, is to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the region’s roads by half by 2030.
Mat said: “The task ahead is clear – we must reduce the number of people being killed and seriously injured in collisions on our road network. It will be an immense privilege to join a team who have dedicated themselves to this outcome through the Regional Road Safety Strategy, and I look forward to some hard, collaborative and focused work to deliver it.
“Achieving this vital objective is the least we owe – not only to the victims of the tragic crashes on our streets, but also to the future generations of the West Midlands, whose safety and happiness is critical to realising the exceptional potential of our remarkable region.”
The region’s Local Transport Plan has set out the target for everyone to be able to safely reach a range of local destinations on foot, in a wheelchair or on a bike or scooter; with the aim of at least half of all trips to be made by active travel by 2030.
Beccy said: “My vision, alongside the newly formed taskforce, is to remove the barriers that prevent people from fully embracing active travel. By working hand-in-hand with communities and grassroots organisations, we aim to bring our new infrastructure to life and help individuals experience the practical benefits of walking or cycling for everyday journeys.
“As someone who personally adopted active travel over 17 years ago, I understand that walking and cycling may not be suitable for every trip. However, it is our collective responsibility to make these options safer, more accessible, and easier, helping them become the natural and preferred choice for short journeys.”
Simon Foster, West Midlands police and crime commissioner, who chairs the West Midlands Road Safety Strategic Group, added: “I welcome the appointment of Mat and Beccy, who both share a burning passion to make our region a safer place to live, work and travel.
“Improving road safety and reducing the number of people tragically and avoidably killed and seriously injured on our roads will continue to be at the forefront of my priorities. I look forward to working with the Mayor and the newly appointed Road Safety and Active Travel Commissioners as we all commit to Vision Zero.”
It is good news that a road safety Commissioner has been appointed by the West Midlands Mayor. One of his roles, as stated in the Regional Road Safety Strategy is to work together with city councils, e.g. Birmingham. As a resident on a road plagued by speeding traffic, I would like to hope that the combined efforts of the new Commissioner, Birmingham City Council and the police might yield progress. Despite years of campaigning, there has been absolutely none so far and the previous mayor wrote to residents that speeding on our road was “not within his remit”. Will we see a change of approach?
Charles Owen, Birmingham
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