New action promised to make roads safer following adoption of refreshed strategy

Measures to improve road safety across the region, including enhanced average speed camera enforcement and a crackdown on mobile phone use while driving, are to be rolled out following the adoption of a new region wide strategy.

The Refreshed Regional Road Safety Strategy 2023-2030 has been drawn up in consultation with a range of partners including local authorities and the emergency services. It was agreed by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board.

The partners, who form the West Midlands Road Safety Partnership, set out the long-term ambition to reach a point where nobody is killed or seriously injured on the region's roads - known as 'Vision Zero'.

On the road to this is an interim target has been set to reduce the numbers of killed and seriously injured casualties by 50 per cent by 2030. The partnership has committed to work together and take collective responsibility for achieving this important target using an approach combining street design, enforcement and education.

The Strategy is issued following a summer in which road safety has leapt to the top of the regional agenda following a series of fatalities and incidents of violent and anti-social driving.

This has mobilised a community-led campaign in high-risk locations and widespread activity by West Midlands Police, supported by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and local authorities to crack down on dangerous driving.

The new strategy updates the previous 2019 strategy; since that launch there has been a 16 per cent reduction in serious or fatal collisions, which as well as preserving life and limb has reduced the annual cost to society by £25 million.

Andy Street (pictured), Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA Chair, said: “It's imperative that we continue our efforts to improve safety on our roads and this strategy sets out our collective ambition to do just that.

“We're stating here that even one life lost is one too many although we also recognise that this is a challenging task hence why we're setting incremental targets to guide us along the way.

“Key to this is not only targeting issues as they arise, but also designing our roads and networks to reduce risk from the outset. That's why we're developing new safe cycle routes, boosting public transport priority arrangements and ensuring safer junctions.”

Simon Foster, police and crime commissioner and chair of the Road Safety Strategic Group said: “Preventing, tackling and reducing crime and ASB and the number of people tragically and avoidably killed and seriously injured on our roads is a top priority.

“The Refreshed Regional Road Safety Strategy 2023-2030, is part of the collaborative commitment of partners to ensure safety on our roads for everyone, including pedestrians, cyclists and vehicle users. Safety on our roads is everyone's responsibility.

“I am holding West Midlands Police to account, to prevent, tackle and reduce crime and anti-social behaviour on our roads. The force has agreed to crackdown on rule breakers on our roads, set up two new police teams to bring dangerous drivers to justice and make it easier for people to report dangerous driving. Keeping people safe on our roads is a top priority.”