Issue - meetings

The Board received a report on the latest road safety statistics released by the Department for Transport (DfT) through the publication of the 2023 Comprehensive Annual Report. 

The report set out full details of the numbers of traffic collisions and casualties in 2023 and compared these figures with those from previous years, which showed a small rise in overall casualty numbers.  This was in contrast to the national picture where there had been a slight decrease and traffic flow had been comparable for the first time since the pandemic.  

 Members noted that Halton had achieved its performance targets as set by the DfT; there were 158 road traffic collisions involving personal injury within Halton, one more than the previous year.  These incidents had resulted in 195 casualties, a 4% increase on the 2022 figure but 22% below 2019, when traffic levels were comparable.

In addition, the report highlighted an update on the work the Road Safety Team had undertaken in 2024/25 which would continue to cover road traffic collision reduction schemes, road safety education, training and publicity as well as engaging with Cheshire Police to target effective enforcement action.

The report also outlined information on the following road safety initiatives: 

·       Gyratory Red Light Camera;

·       Speed Camera A562 (Speke Road):

·       “Smiley” Speed Indicative Device/Sign (SiDs);

·       Mobile Speed Camera Sites;

·       Collision Sites;

·       Speed Limit Reduction;

·       Safer Active Travel;

·       Road Safety Audits;

·       Education; and

·       Halton 2025/26 Programme.

Members of the Board noted the report and suggested that it would be useful to do a press release on Halton’s achievements on meeting performance targets.

RESOLVED: That

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

2)    the 2024/25 strategy of road safety schemes and road safety education, training and publicity be endorsed.