“Whether you’re driving, cycling, walking, wheeling, or scooting, everyone has the right to feel secure while travelling in our area.”
Those are the words of the mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, at the launch of Merseyside’s new Vision Zero strategy.
The strategy aims to reduce the number of those killed and seriously injured on the roads, working towards an overall Vision Zero target by 2040.
The plan is also focused on creating a safer environment for people to travel on foot or by bike and encouraging more children to walk or cycle to school, all of which will contribute to improved air quality across the region.
The strategy focuses on four key pillars – Safe Speeds, Safe Streets, Safe Vehicles, Safe Behaviour – and outlines the methods and measures which will be used to drive change.
It will be adopted by the partners who make up the Merseyside Road Safety Partnership (RSP), including all five local authorities, Merseyside Police, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, North West Ambulance Service, Highways England, and the health sector.
The strategy has also been shared with the Cheshire Road Safety Partnership covering the Halton borough, who will be adopting a similar approach.
Steve Rotheram said: “I want our roads to be as safe as possible for people to get from A to B, regardless of their means of travel.
“Whether you’re driving, cycling, walking, wheeling, or scooting, everyone has the right to feel secure while travelling in our area.
“While a big part of that comes down to people’s road safety awareness, there are lots of practical steps we’re taking to encourage long-term behaviour change in how people choose to travel in our area.”
Emily Spurrell, Merseyside’s police commissioner, said: “Each and every death or serious injury on our roads is one too many. These road collisions devastate lives, families and communities.
“We are committed to ensuring everyone can travel throughout our region safely and this ambitious plan sets out how as a partnership we want to reduce the number of fatalities and casualties in the years ahead, with the ultimate aim that there are no avoidable collisions on our roads.
“Deaths and injuries on our roads are neither acceptable nor inevitable – they are preventable and that is what we are focused on delivering.”
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