Issue - meetings

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Enterprise, Community and Resources, which gave details of road traffic collision and casualty numbers within the Borough in the year 2019.

The Board was advised that Appendix A to the report set out full details of the numbers of traffic collisions and casualties in the year 2018, and compared these figures with those from previous years.

            The latest figures (2019) for Halton could be summarised as follows:

·         There were 183 road traffic collisions involving personal injury in Halton, 14 fewer than the year before, and a continuation of the overall general downward trend.  These incidents resulted in 239 casualties, a 3% increase on the 2018 figures;

·         A total of 31 killed or seriously injured (KSI) remained relatively low when compared to 10 years ago (41 in 2010). The figure for 2018  was 30;

·         28 of the casualties were classed as serious, with 3 fatalities (an increase of 1 compared to 2018)

·         A total of 2 child serious injury (CKSI) which represented a decrease of 66% (compared to 6 in 2018).

·         The numbers of people of all ages being slightly injured (SLI) was 208 (202 in 2018).

·         A total of 23 collisions occurred on Mersey Gateway controlled roads, resulting in a total of 28 casualties, slightly higher than in 2018.

·         Halton still remained on course to achieve its performance targets.

In addition, the report highlighted the work the Road Safety Team had undertaken in 2019/20 and the programme for 2021 which would continue to cover road traffic reduction schemes, road safety education, training and publicity.

Members also considered information on the road safety schemes undertaken in 2019/20 and the report outlined the planned works for 2020/21 which included:

·         Improved pedestrian crossing facilities at Halton Lea, Runcorn

·         Review of all school sites to ensure road layouts are appropriate, given the ongoing issues related to the Covid19 pandemic

·         Improvements to side-junction layouts on Liverpool Road, Widnes following concerns raised regarding poor visibility

·         Improvements to pedestrian crossing points at Dykin Road / Moorfield Road roundabout.

·         Reconfiguration of road markings as part of wider improvement scheme on southern section of Ditchfield Road, Widnes.

·         Major changes to route signage through Runcorn town centre following Runcorn de-linking works and associated changes to traffic flows

            RESOLVED: That

1)    the overall progress made on casualty reduction in Halton over the past decade be noted; and

2)      the  road safety programme for 2021 be supported.