Image: PACTS
Road Safety GB is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Richard Allsop OBE.
The following tribute has been published by PACTS, where Professor Allsop OBE was a long time PACTS trustee, director and special advisor.
Richard was outstanding in the world of road safety both in his pioneering work and support of others in the field. At PACTS he served as a Trustee and Director for 20 years and then as a Special Advisor for nearly ten. Most recently he sat on the Policy and Research Committee and in PACTS Road Environment Working Party as well as representing PACTS at the European Transport Safety Council.
Born in 1940 and educated at Bemrose School Derby, Richard went on to study at Queen’s College Cambridge, where he read Mathematics. He obtained his PhD (Applicable Mathematics) from UCL in 1970 and DSc (Eng) in 1995. There he was involved with the UN Association, the Refugees Action Group and War on Want.
From 1973 to 1976 he was Director of The Transport Operations Research Group at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, before becoming Director of the Centre for Transport Studies at UCL, a post which he held for some 20 years. Richard was a leader of the University Transport Studies Group and helped to develop a symbiotic relationship between the Group and the Department for Transport.
In 1995, Richard became Director of PACTS, a position he held until 2015. Upon his retirement, PACTS decided that he was too valuable to lose and should be given the title of Special Advisor to PACTS, in order to retain his knowledge and connection to our organisation. A founding member of the RoadSafe Advisory Panel, from 2005 Richard also held the title of Emeritus Professor of Transport Studies at UCL. He was also a judge for the Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards for 25 years.
Throughout his time in PACTS and at UCL, he built a formidable reputation in the transport safety field through timely and meticulous research in areas such as drink-driving, seat belts, signal controlled junctions, risk and choice on roads, the safe system and the impact of the economic recession on traffic fatalities. His ability to provide thorough, evidence-rich advice on a wide variety of topics was invaluable. As an academic he was highly regarded: “outstanding” was the view held by many; a powerful influence on policy development and the understanding of road safety.
His enduring presence as a key figure within PACTS for numerous years has help shape and inform the organisation we are. His support and advice will be sorely missed.
Very sorry to hear this news.
I got to know Professor Allsop OBE in correspondence regarding a new method I had developed to remove RTM. It was in his work for the RAC Foundation that Professor Allsop helped advance better understanding of the new method and I am grateful to him for recommending that my report be accepted into the Road Safety Knowledge centre. I thank him for all his help and assistance.
My condolences to his family, RIP.
dave finney, slough
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