UK to pay for safer roads abroad

11.09 | 19 November 2009 | | 2 comments

Some of the world’s poorest countries are to receive a cash injection of £1.5m from the UK government to help improve road safety (BBC News).

The funding, which will pay for pedestrian crossings and better road markings, was announced at the first ministerial global road safety summit, which was held in Moscow.

Gareth Thomas, minister for development, said the road safety statistics in developing countries were "shocking".

"I want to see this funding make a real impact on reducing casualty numbers where it’s needed most. It will help with implementing basic safety measures," he said. "Statistics show that the UK has some of the safest roads in the world. We must use our expertise to help developing countries meet the safety standards that we take for granted."

The funding is being provided by the Department for International Development, which has already given £3.5m for research on improving the design and quality of transport in Africa and Asia.

Click here to read the full BBC news report

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    I ask Gareth Thomas and Paul Clark, if the UK road are so great then why is the a Man, Woman or Child Killed or Injured every 39 Seconds?

    And why has Paul Clark not answered my question – Does he agree with Nick Ross, Government Road Safety Advisor – Nick Ross said that he thinks it reasonable for 2,000 DEATHS for the Freedom of the Highways.
    But I ask – The FREEDOM of the Open Highways for WHOM?? –
    Most Definitely not for – The Innocent, Children, Young People, and Adults, all of whom have had their lives, – Violently wiped out by motorists who have broken one, two or more Criminal Motoring Offences and in so doing Slaughtered the Innocent.

    Is it Nick Ross’s idea – That it should be the Freedom of the Roads for the Few – Whilst denying the majority the freedom to use the roads without fear of being killed or injured?

    If the deaths of 2,000 of men, women and children is the price we are expected to pay for the freedom of the roads for the Bully motorists who commit Criminal Motoring Offences.

    • Then WOULD WE ACCEPT & EXPECT:

    • 2,000 deaths from Domestic violence each year?
    • 2,000 deaths from gun crime?
    • 2,000 deaths from knife crime?
    • 2,000 deaths from street, gang or other fighting as the freedom of getting our way by force?
    • 2,000 deaths by school children because they did not get their way in school.
    • 2,000 deaths as a result of lashing out when people get in the way.

    • Or 2,000 soldiers killed each year, – that would be 40 soldiers each week.

    • And should we not think it reasonable for 2,000 deaths EACH from train crashes, plane crashes or boats & ships sinking as the price to pay for the freedom of this type of travel?

    • Yet it seems the Government is happy to accept the SLAUGHTER of Men, Women and Children as the price the INNOCENT Must Pay for the Freedom of the Few to do as they wish without incurring punishment or censure–

    There was outrage concerning the 277 people killed by knives in UK in ONE Year, protests calling for immediate action and zero tolerance.

    But there is no outrage, there are no protests for the 2,543 Men, Women and Children slaughtered on the UK ROADS in ONE Year, and no outrage or protests for the 800,000 Men, Women and Children Maimed and injured in the UK in ONE Year (hospital figures).

    A HUMAN BEING IS KILLED OR INJURED ON THE UK ROADS EVERY 39 SECONDS!!!

    The Government has the nerve to boast about there being less people killed on the Road last year, but the very fact that it is making this boast shows it is accepting the deaths and injuries of innocent men, women and children.

    When is the death and injury of victims of road violence going to become a priority, to be treated as crimes against the person and afforded the same rights as other violent crime?

    I am sure you will agree that – All road users should have the Right to be free to use the roads and pavements without fear, without feeling intimidated, bullied and endangered by other road users Criminal Driving Behaviour.


    Bridget Wall – Norfolk
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    As usual it is all about engineering rather than driver and pedestrian attitudes and skills. The electricity supply to one crossing point could pay for some surveys to find the underlying causes for some of the casualty trends, but that will take too much time!


    Steve Jarrett, Norfolk County Council.
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