Local Authorities & Road Safety Partnerships

Bath and North East Somerset Council’s road safety strategy focuses on Vision Zero, aiming to eliminate all road deaths and serious injuries by 2030. Their approach includes:

• Education and Training: Providing programs for various road users, including senior drivers, motorcyclists, and children in schools.
• Safe Infrastructure: Incorporating road design guidelines to create safer environments for pedestrians and cyclists.
• Partnerships: Working with organisations like the police and fire and rescue services to achieve their safety goals.

The Bedfordshire Road Safety Partnership is a multi-agency collaboration focused on reducing road traffic collisions and casualties in Bedfordshire and Luton. It brings together various organisations like Bedfordshire Police, local councils, and others, to implement strategies and initiatives aimed at improving road safety. Their vision is to create a safer road environment by reducing risks, serious injuries, and fatalities from road-related incidents.

Blackburn with Darwen is a local government district with borough status in the ceremonial county of Lancashire, North West England. Its council is a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council.

Bradford Council’s road safety strategy is anchored in the Vision Zero ambition, which aims to eliminate all traffic-related deaths and serious injuries across the district by 2040. To achieve this, the council employs a “Safe System” approach that shifts the focus from blaming individual road users to designing a network that is inherently forgiving of human error. This involves a mix of physical engineering, such as the widespread implementation of 20mph zones in residential areas, and data-driven initiatives that use AI and connected vehicle technology to identify and fix “near-miss” hotspots before a serious incident occurs.

In addition to infrastructure, the council emphasises multi-agency collaboration and behavioural change. By partnering with West Yorkshire Police and the Fire and Rescue Service, they integrate enforcement—targeting the “Fatal Five” behaviours like speeding and phone use—with extensive community education. This includes pedestrian training for schoolchildren and public awareness campaigns that encourage “Safer Together” values. Their approach is increasingly focused on protecting vulnerable road users, ensuring that walking and cycling are made safer and more attractive options for the local community.

Cheshire West and Chester Council adopts a “Safe System” approach to road safety, which focuses on the three pillars of Education, Engineering, and Enforcement. The strategy recognises that while human error is inevitable, deaths and serious injuries are not. To address this, the Council works through the Cheshire Road Safety Group—a partnership including the police and fire services—to analyse crash data and target resources where they are most needed. This includes a heavy emphasis on “Education, Training, and Publicity” (ETP), with flagship programs like “Think Drive Survive” aimed at young drivers, as well as borough-wide initiatives such as the rollout of 20mph zones in residential areas and around schools.

In addition to behavioural change, the Council’s approach integrates physical infrastructure improvements and rigorous enforcement. The engineering team identifies and implements remedial measures at high-risk sites, while enforcement efforts focus on managing speed and red-light violations through a network of safety cameras. The Council also prioritises “Active Travel” through its Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan, aiming to make roads safer for vulnerable users like pedestrians and cyclists. By combining risk-based highway safety inspections with community-led speed management, the Council seeks to foster a culture of individual responsibility while maintaining a highway network designed to protect all users.

Wolverhampton City Council’s road safety strategy employs a comprehensive, data-driven approach centered on two main pillars: proactive highway maintenance and design for safety. They use risk-based asset management and advanced condition surveys (like SCANNER vehicles) to ensure a preventative maintenance schedule, prioritising quick repairs for serious defects to minimise hazards.

The Council also focuses on reducing vehicular risk and promoting active travel. This is achieved through evidence-led speed management policies, including supporting 20mph zones where vulnerable road users are present, and ensuring that all new developments are designed to be safe for pedestrians and cyclists, thereby supporting sustainable mobility and reducing overall road casualties.

Cornwall Council actively enhances road safety through a comprehensive approach encompassing education, enforcement, engineering, and community engagement. By educating the public on safe practices, supporting police in upholding traffic laws, improving road infrastructure, and involving local communities, they strive to create safer roads for everyone. The partnership with TyreSafe will significantly strengthen these efforts by providing specialised expertise in tyre safety, delivering targeted education on crucial tyre maintenance, directly preventing accidents caused by faulty tyres, and bolstering community outreach with essential information, ultimately making Cornwall’s roads even safer.

Devon County Council improves road safety through engineering (safer roads), education (safer people), and a focus on safer vehicles within its Vision Zero South West goal. Partnering with TyreSafe significantly boosts this by offering specialised tyre safety education, directly preventing incidents caused by faulty tyres, and enhancing their overall community outreach on vehicle roadworthiness.

The Gloucestershire Road Safety Partnership brings together Gloucestershire County Council, Gloucestershire Constabulary, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, and Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service to reduce road casualties across the county. Operating under the strategic banner *”Safer Journeys – Together,”* the multi-agency body coordinates local engineering, enforcement, public health, and educational efforts to align with the global Vision Zero target of eliminating road deaths and serious injuries by 2050.

Through its holistic “Safe System” approach, the partnership focuses on key pillars including safe speeds, safe roads, safe road users, post-crash care, and safe vehicles. It directly engages local communities via initiative tools like the Road Safety Community Hub, enabling residents to raise highway safety concerns while providing data-driven interventions, targeted road policing, and preventative education across Gloucestershire.

Kent County Council has partnered with TyreSafe to enhance its road safety objectives. This collaboration focuses on reducing tyre-related incidents through joint educational initiatives and public awareness campaigns. The partnership aims to improve driver knowledge and vehicle maintenance practices within Kent, contributing to overall road safety.

Lancashire County Council exists to serve everyone who lives or works in Lancashire, helping people to be healthy, happy and enjoy a good quality of life. A key part of the council’s role is also to protect the most vulnerable members of the community who need extra support.

Leeds City Council’s approach to road safety is driven by its Leeds Safer Roads Vision Zero 2040 strategy, which aims to eliminate all fatal and serious road injuries in the city by 2040. Adopted in September 2022, this is a significant shift in philosophy, embracing the Safe System approach. This system acknowledges that people make mistakes, and therefore the transport system—including roads, vehicles, and the road environment—must be designed to prevent human errors from leading to fatal or serious outcomes.

To achieve this goal, the strategy focuses on five key pillars: Safe Behaviours and People (through education and awareness), Safe Speeds (through enforcement and initiatives), Safe Roads (through improved infrastructure design), Safe Vehicles (by supporting better vehicle standards), and Post-collision Learning and Care (by using crash data to inform future work and supporting victims). This vision is integrated with the wider Connecting Leeds Transport Strategy, promoting a safer environment

The partnership aims to reduce the number of people killed and injured on our roads. It is made up of: Lincolnshire County Council, Lincolnshire Police, Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire, Highways England, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue and East Midlands Ambulance Service.

Liverpool City Council is the local authority for the city of Liverpool in Merseyside, it exists to serve, safeguard and represent the interests of its citizens and communities and to ensure the provision of the best possible services for its residents. They offer a range of road safety education and training programmes for people of all ages in Liverpool.

Sheffield City Council has adopted an ambitious “Vision Zero” approach to road safety, operating under the principle that no death or serious injury on the city’s streets is acceptable. In line with its 2024–2029 Road Safety Action Plan, the council has set an interim “50by30” target, aiming to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) by 50% by the year 2030. This strategy shifts the focus from traditional reactive measures to a “Safe Systems” framework. This model acknowledges that humans naturally make mistakes and seeks to design an environment—through safer road layouts, managed speeds, and better vehicle standards—that ensures these errors do not result in fatal consequences.

To achieve these goals, the council is implementing a mix of “hardware” and “software” interventions. On the ground, this includes the rapid expansion of 20mph zones in residential areas, the introduction of “School Streets” where traffic is restricted during drop-off and pick-up times, and the installation of segregated cycle tracks and high-quality pedestrian crossings. Beyond infrastructure, the council emphasises education and enforcement, working through the South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership to engage with high-risk groups like young drivers and motorcyclists. By prioritising “active travel” (walking, wheeling, and cycling), the council aims to not only improve safety but also create a healthier, less congested city environment.

Somerset Road Safety focuses on reducing road collisions and casualties in Somerset to create safer communities. They provide advice and education to various road users, including drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists, pedestrians, moped riders, horse riders, and learner drivers. Their work also includes data management, collision investigation, and implementing local and urban safety schemes. They also engage with the public on social media, sharing safety tips and information.

Staffordshire County Council, responsible for the county’s road network, partners with TyreSafe to enhance its road safety initiatives. Recognising that tyre safety is critical to overall vehicle safety and a significant factor in incidents, the council integrates tyre safety education into its broader campaigns. This collaboration allows them to leverage TyreSafe’s expertise and resources to reach more road users with vital messages on tyre maintenance, ultimately aiming to reduce tyre-related incidents and make Staffordshire’s roads safer for everyone.

Swindon Borough Council is partnering with TyreSafe, the UK’s leading tyre safety charity, to boost local road safety. The Council’s approach focuses on a “Safe Systems” framework, combining education (e.g., Bikeability, young driver programmes), infrastructure improvements (e.g., 20mph zones, road maintenance), and strong partnerships for enforcement. By joining TyreSafe, the Council directly addresses vehicle safety by promoting crucial tyre checks (Air, Condition, Tread), aiming to reduce preventable accidents and enhance overall road safety for Swindon residents.

Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership brings together representatives from Warwickshire Police, Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service, and Warwickshire County Council Transport & Highways Teams, and other key organisations to coordinate the road safety strategy across the county. Our strategy to 2030 is reduce fatal and serious casualties by 50%, using a safe system approach, and working towards vision zero.

West Yorkshire Vision Zero is a road safety initiative aiming to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all in West Yorkshire. This ambitious goal is underpinned by the belief that no death or serious injury on the roads is acceptable. The strategy focuses on creating a safer road environment by adopting a “Safe System” approach, which considers all factors that contribute to road accidents, from road design and vehicle safety to driver behaviour and post-collision response. To achieve Vision Zero, West Yorkshire is implementing various measures, including improving road infrastructure, promoting safer driving practices, enhancing pedestrian and cyclist safety, and investing in advanced technologies to prevent accidents

The West Yorkshire Vision Zero partnership consists of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the five local authorities (Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield), West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, National Highways, victim support services, and road safety campaigners.

The York & North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership is a multi-agency coalition formed in 2004 with the mission of reducing road casualties and preventing deaths across the region. It brings together key organisations, including North Yorkshire Police, local councils, the Fire and Rescue Service, and National Highways, to create a coordinated, evidence-led approach to travel safety. The partnership operates under a “Safe System” framework, which acknowledges that while people make mistakes, the road system should be designed to protect them. This long-term ambition is known as “Vision Zero,” a goal to eventually eliminate all preventable fatalities and serious injuries on York and North Yorkshire’s roads.

To achieve these goals, the partnership focuses on the “4 Es”: Education, Engagement, Engineering, and Enforcement. This includes initiatives like the “Fatal 5” campaign—which targets speeding, distractions, lack of seatbelts, drink/drug driving, and careless driving—as well as infrastructure improvements and community programs like Community Speed Watch. By combining resources and expertise, the partnership addresses various risks, from improving safety for vulnerable road users like cyclists and pedestrians to utilising modern technology, such as motorcycle simulators and virtual reality, to educate the public on hazard perception.