Road Safety plan aims to save lives
In 2007, 19 people were killed on Winchester's roads - one of the highest fatality rates in Hampshire. As a result, the Winchester Community Safety Partnership (WCSP) has launched a three year action plan with a priority to reduce the number of people ‘killed or seriously injured’ (KSI) on our roads.
To help formulate the plan, the WCSP commissioned Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, Hampshire Constabulary Road Policing Unit, and the WCSP Researcher and Analyst to conduct research and produce a baseline report to help identify the main factors behind serious road accidents.
The report is now complete and is available to read on the WCSP website at www.wdsp.co.uk/communitysafety/action_plans.
The report is split into two sections, one looking at the actual details of road traffic accidents and the other looking at further details such as the ages and lifestyles of those involved.
The information will help the partnership to establish what safety messages are needed and where they need to be delivered. The report confirms that in the three-year period under review (2005-2007), 37 people were killed on Winchester’s roads, 226 were seriously injured, with a further 1,479 people receiving injuries.
Councillor John Cooper, Portfolio Holder for Communities & Safety, said:
"This detailed report has been welcomed across the board as it will help us to understand all the issues surrounding road safety in the Winchester District. Cutting the number of those killed or seriously injured on our roads has to be one of our highest priorities and I am confident that this excellent piece of work will go a long way towards focusing our efforts on the right actions.”
Steve Trevethick, project leader and Group Manager for Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, added:
“This new report takes a detailed look at all road traffic collisions that occurred in the Winchester District between 2005 and 2007. The information will help to steer effective road education and intervention schemes to reduce the number of deaths and injuries on our roads.
“Sadly, at Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, we are all too frequently exposed to the aftermath of road traffic collisions and the devastating impact these have on people’s lives. Around 10 people are killed every day on Britain's roads and we are working hard with our partners to make best use of all available local resources to reduce these tragic figures.”
While existing RTC reduction activities will continue to be delivered by a multitude of agencies in our area, one of the next steps, as part of the three-year plan, will be to hold a ‘Managers, Leaders and Practitioners Workshop’ in September.
Partners and residents will have the chance to attend the workshops which will be designed to generate effective education and intervention activities, and to deliver them across the District. The WCSP is looking for people and organisations with a “can do” attitude who will sign up to deliver reduction schemes in a coordinated way, to help save lives and keep people safe on our roads.
For further information about the report, or if you wish to take part in the workshop, please contact Steve Trevethick at steve.trevethick@hantsfire.gov.uk or write to; Steve Trevethick, Group Manager Winchester and District, Winchester Fire Station, North Walls, Winchester. Hampshire, SO23 8DP.