The number of people killed and seriously injured (KSI) on London’s roads fell by 23% during 2013 to its lowest level since records began, according to figures released by TfL.
The total number of road casualties in London also fell, by around 5%, to its lowest ever level.
The 2013 figures keep TfL firmly on track to achieve its target to reduce the number of KSIs on London’s roads by 40% by 2020 (from a 2005-09 baseline). Taking into account progress made in 2013, KSIs are currently 36% below the 2005-09 average.
There were 132 fatalities on London’s roads in 2013, the second lowest number since records began, and fatalities involving pedestrians were down from 69 in 2012 to 65 in 2013. Deaths involving powered two-wheeled riders also fell from 27 in 2012 to 22 in 2013.
While cyclist deaths remained the static at 14, there was a 27% reduction in cyclist KSIs – from 671 in 2012, to 489 in 2013.
Pedestrian KSIs were also significantly down (25%) compared to 2012 (from 1,123 to 838).
The number of children KSIs fell by 31% to 187 (down from 270 in 2012).
This is a reduction of around three quarters when compared to the year 2000, showing the “continuing long-term progress in London in making its streets safer for all”, according to TfL.
Boris Johnson, mayor of London, said: “These statistics are hugely encouraging, but they are by no means the end of the story.
“Our ultimate goal is to see a London where roads are free from death and serious injury, which is why we’re investing significant funding to make the road network fit for the 21st century.
“From overhauling the most notorious junctions, to investing in the latest technology, TfL is pushing hard on all fronts to make London’s roads as safe as they can possibly be for all users.”
Leon Daniels, managing director of surface transport at TfL, said: “We have a huge programme of investment underway to improve the road network and public spaces as London continues its rapid growth.
“Much of this work includes radical steps to improve road safety, including segregated cycling lanes and much improved junctions.
“We will also make more data openly available to enable others to help us make progress."
Eric
That’s not how I view the graphs. But rather than argue with you I will leave others to look if they are interested.
Rod King, 20’s Plenty for Us
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Very helpful Rod.
That 150 page report shows that most casualty trends were flatlining, or even rising, until 2000, which aligns with my surmise.
Eric Bridgstock, Independent Road Safety Research, St Albans
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Any resort to innuendo and suspicion is not well founded. Neither is any comment regarding online reports only go back to 2002. A quick 5 minutes of googling came up with this report which shows the statistics and trends from 1995 to 2004.
See http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/collisions-and-casualties-2004.pdf
Rod King, 20’s Plenty for Us
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Honor,
The TfL release does indeed include “data tables and a good amount of other statistics and information” but why do they not present clear charts showing performance over the long term? Why do they compare to 2000 when their online reports go back only to 2002? One suspects that 2000 was an unusually bad year.
Eric Bridgstock, Independent Road Safety Research, St Albans
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The TfL release includes links to the full article including data tables and a good amount of other statistics and information. The data is in Excel spreadsheets from which you can produce charts.
Honor Byford, Chair, Road Safety GB
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We need to see the graph over the period referred to. They compare to 2000, 2005-9 baseline and 2012. Trends are clear only when the big picture is viewed, not just a few selected stats.
Eric Bridgstock, Independent Road Safety Research, St Albans
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I think that these stats are encouraging and hope that they will remain low and that it was not just a downward blip. However, with so many changes taking place simultaneously and much being done to encourage and support cycling initiatives and other road safety endeavours, it would be hard perhaps to speculate on any one factor that has made such a reduction possible.
bob craven Lancs
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If Local Authorities across the country had the equivalent amount of money to invest in road safety I am sure we would see the same or better statistics everywhere else. London gets the lion’s share financially and then boasts about its levels of ‘success’…a bit annoying to say the least, or is it just jealousy? Either way, someone needs to bring some equity across the country rather than continuing with the present system.
Tim Draper
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