Leeds City Council has become the latest local authority to launch a new strategy to eliminate road deaths and serious injuries.
The Leeds Safer Roads Vision Zero 2040 strategy has been developed by the Leeds Safer Roads Partnership, led by Leeds City Council, with partners including West Yorkshire Police, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and National Highways.
The strategy recognises that responsibility lies with everyone who uses the public highway each day, whether as drivers, pedestrians, or cyclists, as well as those who plan and manage the transport system.
It comprises five ‘Safe System pillars’ to comprehensively address road danger: safer behaviours and people, safer speeds, safer roads, safer vehicles and post-collision learning and care.
The strategy will be discussed by senior councillors on 9 February.
Should the executive board give its approval, a public consultation will launch on Monday 28 February for Leeds residents to give their views.
Cllr Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council executive member for infrastructure and climate, said: “This new strategy represents a seismic change in our approach to road safety.
“Leeds is the first city in West Yorkshire to adopt the ‘Vision Zero’ approach to road danger, and the Leeds Safer Roads Vision Zero 2040 strategy is our ambition to eliminate fatal and the most serious road injuries from our city within the next 18 years.
“It will require all partners, businesses, local, regional and national governments and individuals to play their part and will require additional significant funding across a wide range of areas.
“Improving road safety will encourage people to walk or cycle instead of driving for their short journeys, helping us achieve the Connecting Leeds Transport Strategy’s aim to be a city where you don’t need a car.
“Vision Zero will also contribute to the council’s ambitions of improving air quality and achieving carbon neutral status by 2030.”
Leeds City Council does little or nothing to combat the effects of increased traffic-speeds; more vehicles on its roads; and less police to enforce speed-restrictions and to combat red-light jumping at pedestrian crossings, which have noticeably increased because drivers know that few police are on-the-roads. Consequently, so-called “Vision Zero” appears to be a gimmick that promises much, but will probably make little or no difference. In other words, it is an “empty promise”.
Roy Wall, Leeds
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Key statement: ‘The strategy recognises that responsibility lies with everyone who uses the public highway each day, whether as drivers, pedestrians, or cyclists, as well as those who plan and manage the transport system.’ In other words a greater emphasis on people taking care of their own safety which means they have to take ownership of their safety. That would/will be a major step forward and a basic one which RS strategists everywhere should take note of. The other side of the coin is that I fail to understand why people taking ownership of their own safety should be a ‘’seismic change’ in the approach to road safety’. Perhaps it is one of those ‘hidden in plain sight’ things but, let’s hope a lot of others take on board this philosophy for generating less crashes and safer roads.
Nigel Albright, TAUNTON
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