Tomorrow's roads - safer for everyone: The first three year review

	1994-1998 average	1999	2000	2001	2002	2002 percentage change over 1994-1998 average	2010 levels based upon the target
KSI casualties	47,656	42,545	41,564	40,560	39,407	-17%	28,594
Child KSI casualties	6,860	5,699	5,202	4,988	4,596	-33%	3,430
Slight casualty rate	61	59	59	57	54	-12%	55

Chapter 3: The policy review

Introduction

This chapter:

• shows how the road safety strategy supports wider Government policies and European Commission objectives
• looks at implementation of the strategy across each of the ten themes identifying:
• • the strategy commitments
  • progress so far
  • further progress expected by 2010
  • where appropriate, any significant points arising from the review.

The policy framework

45. Tomorrow's roads - safer for everyone had demonstrated how the road safety strategy supports a number of wider Government policies and European Commission objectives. Many of these links have been strengthened since the strategy was launched. The below table gives some examples:

• road safety was confirmed as a key aspect of wider integrated transport policies in the Department's Transport 2010: The 10 Year Plan (June 2000) and Delivering better transport - Progress report (December 2002), the Scottish Executive's Scotland's Transport: Delivering Improvements (March 2002) and Building better transport (March 2003), and the National Assembly for Wales' Transport Framework (November 2001). Road safety is also a key feature of the Department's initiative of 'shared priority targets' for transport between central and local government
• the casualty reduction targets continue to form one of the Department's Public Service Agreement (PSA) objectives, against which its performance in delivering improved public services is monitored. Elements of the strategy, such as reducing speed and managing traffic better also continue to contribute to other Departmental PSA targets to reduce congestion and improve air quality
• the Government has put in place wide ranging and long term strategies to tackle social exclusion and narrow the gap between the poorest neighbourhoods and the rest of the country. In July 2002 the Department's road safety PSA target was enhanced to specifically tackle the significantly higher number of road casualties that occur in disadvantaged areas7
• the Department of Health led cross cutting review on health inequalities identified reducing the number of road accidents, especially those involving young or elderly pedestrians and car occupants, as a priority area for action. This stemmed from the report of a cross-Government Task Force on Preventing Accidental Injury
• the Department for Education and Skills has an objective to enable all young people to develop and equip themselves with the skills, knowledge and personal qualities needed for life and work. Basic road safety skills form an essential aspect of this
• the Departments for Education, Health and Transport are working together on promoting sustainable travel to school and improving child road safety, and highlighting the links between sustainable travel and health
• the Home Office and the Scottish Executive have targets to reduce the level of vehicle crime. Better enforcement and closer working with others such as the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency form vital elements of the strategy for delivering these targets
• in Scotland the Scottish Executive funds the Scottish Road Safety Campaign (SRSC) to develop and co-ordinate publicity and education initiatives. The SRSC works closely with all the Scottish Local Authorities, Police Forces and others with a road safety interest in the achievement of its aims and objectives. The SRSC publishes an annual report and business plan.

46. The European Commission's 3rd European Road Safety Action Plan8 has set an overall EU wide objective of halving the overall number of road casualty deaths by 2010. Britain already has the lowest death rate from driving in the developed world. Delivering this level of reduction will therefore be a real challenge for us. Nevertheless the Government fully supports the European Commission's overall objective.

Reinforcing the overall strategy

47. Additional initiatives have been introduced to reinforce the overall strategy.

Local Public Service Agreements with local authorities

48. From investing in safer infrastructure, to providing practical road safety advice and training to the local community, local authorities have the crucial role of delivering the strategy at the local level.
49. All local highway authorities in England have adopted the national casualty reduction targets locally. Around 60% of authorities have also entered into Local Public Service Agreements with the Department, which contain a road safety target that is intended to deliver noticeable additional casualty reductions over the next few years.

A road safety strategy for Wales

50. As well as progressing many of the strategy measures locally in Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government has developed and published its own Road Safety Strategy for Wales9 (January 2003). The strategy sets out how the national casualty reduction targets are to be achieved in Wales. Delivery is now being overseen and monitored by a Welsh Road Safety Forum.

Overcoming social exclusion

51. The road safety strategy had highlighted how people from poorer communities are more likely to become road casualties than their better off peers, with children from Social Class V five times more likely to die as pedestrians in a road accident than children from Social Class I.
52. The strategy is combining with wider Government policies to overcome social exclusion by creating stronger neighbourhoods and better quality local environments. Community involvement and joined up thinking form a central part of the initiatives aimed at reducing the road safety implications of social exclusion. The objective is to tackle the actual root causes of accidents.

Dealing with Disadvantage

53. In October 2002 the Department launched Dealing with Disadvantage to help deliver the enhanced element of the Department's PSA target and raise awareness more generally of the road safety problems in deprived areas.
54. The initiative specifically aims to identify and address the underlying causes of accidents by integrating traditional and innovative road safety measures with the work of other local partnerships covering wider transport, education, health and social services. As well as reducing the inequalities in child pedestrian casualties Dealing with Disadvantage will equally benefit other vulnerable road users such as the elderly.
55. The main focus of the initiative has been on identifying particular areas of deprivation for priority attention. The £17.6 million of funding allocated over the 2003-2004 to 2005-2006 period is supporting two initial stages of work: Stage 1 is focusing on eight Metropolitan District Councils in Greater Manchester and two unitary authorities in Lancashire. Stage 2 is covering Bradford, Liverpool, Nottingham, Sandwell and Stoke-on-Trent.
56. Progress is being closely monitored and full evaluations of their effectiveness will be undertaken to help further develop this work and provide valuable best practice guidelines to other authorities and partnerships.

The Dealing with Disadvantage initiative

Objectives:

• to raise awareness of the road safety problems in deprived areas
• to identify and address the underlying causes of accidents by integrating traditional and innovative road safety measures with the work of other local partnerships covering wider transport, education, health and social services.

Actions:

• identifying particular areas of deprivation for priority attention. The £17.6 million of funding allocated over the 2003-2004 to 2005-2006 period is covering two initial stages of work:
• • stage 1 is focusing on eight Metropolitan District Councils in Greater Manchester and two unitary authorities in Lancashire
  • stage 2 is focusing on Bradford, Liverpool, Nottingham, Sandwell and Stoke-on-Trent
• the Greater Manchester project includes the Neighbourhood Road Safety Initiative - set up as a centre of expertise in gaining a better understanding of the problems, devising and delivering solutions. The team includes a Neighbourhood Renewal specialist
• thorough monitoring and evaluation will allow lessons to be spread amongst all authorities
• guidance on Tackling the road safety implications of disadvantage issued to all English local highway authorities in March 2003.

57. To help raise awareness more generally, Tackling the road safety implications of disadvantage (March 2003) provided general guidance to all local authorities in England. It also required that they investigate whether they have a road safety problem relating to disadvantage, and if so, to identify the underlying factors and consider an appropriate strategy to reduce the impact. Authorities were asked to report back on this as part of their 2003 Local Transport Plan Annual Progress Reports. These responses are helping to establish a much better understanding of the overall picture across England.

Disadvantaged communities in Scotland

58. In Scotland, the Scottish Road Safety Campaign published A Safer Place to Live - developing community-based initiatives to promote road safety (August 2002). Based on a detailed review of a wide range of projects across Scotland, this provides good practice on how community driven road safety initiatives can reduce road casualties. The main focus is on areas designated as Social Inclusion Partnerships, which are found in the 34 most disadvantaged communities in Scotland.
59. A project funded by the Scottish Executive has also looked at road safety and community regeneration schemes. As a result of this work Good Practice Guidelines on an interagency approach to improving road safety will be published by the Scottish Road Safety Campaign later in 2004.

Inner City Demonstration Project

60. In July 2002 the Department invited bids from local authorities to participate in a 6 year Inner City Demonstration Project looking to show how deprived urban areas can be made safer through a strategic, broad based partnership approach to casualty reduction and better management of local traffic. The City of Birmingham was identified as the best site for the £6 million pilot project in June 2003.
61. The pilot aims to build on the successful Gloucester Safer City project, which saw fatalities and serious injuries reduced by 38% compared to the 1991-1995 average. The City of Birmingham project will seek to deliver casualty reductions through combining the Gloucester engineering techniques with a broader integrated approach with other local authority services such as education, health and social care. The project will also support the regeneration of this area of Birmingham.
62. Like the Dealing with Disadvantage work, the project is again being closely monitored and a full evaluation of its effectiveness will be undertaken to provide valuable best practice guidance to other authorities and partnerships.

The road safety research programme

63. Road safety policies in Britain have long been based on extensive research and statistical evidence and the strategy continued this trend. The Government continues to commission research across the strategy as a whole and in many individual areas with the following aims:

• to identify the scale and nature of the road safety problem, and to identify those at relatively high risk of accident involvement
• to analyse and understand the factors which contribute to accident causation
• to develop and evaluate measures to reduce the number of accidents and casualty severity
• to monitor the implementation and effectiveness of road safety policies.

Road safety legislation

64. A number of the measures in the original strategy required primary legislation before they could be formally implemented. Legislative time is always based on competing priorities. Whilst it has been possible to bring some measures into force, there remain others which still require a suitable legislative slot. We continue to look for a suitable opportunity for primary legislation to pick up both measures in the original strategy and others that have since been identified, including the introduction of evidential roadside breath testing, updating road traffic penalties and providing for driver improvement schemes as a court disposal.

Progress in each of the ten themes

65. The remainder of this chapter summarises the progress made on each of the ten strategy themes:

• Theme 1 - Safer for children
• Theme 2 - Safer drivers - training and testing
• Theme 3 - Safer drivers - drink, drugs and drowsiness
• Theme 4 - Safer infrastructure
• Theme 5 - Safer speeds
• Theme 6 - Safer vehicles
• Theme 7 - Safer motorcycling
• Theme 8 - Safety for pedestrians, cyclists and horseriders
• Theme 9 - Better enforcement
• Theme 10 - Promoting safer road use.

66. When reading the following review it should be remembered that whilst some of the measures feature in particular themes they also provide wider benefits across other areas of the road safety strategy.
67. The strategy had included indicative time horizons in which measures would be implemented. Appendix 3 to this document now rolls this forward to show the original and new strategy measures that have already been implemented, and those that are now due to be implemented between 2004-2006 and 2007-2010.

Theme 1: Safer for children

Most of the measures in the strategy are aimed at reducing both child and adult casualties. The strategy, however, also contained many specific measures aimed at further reducing child casualties to ensure that the more stringent 50% target is achieved.

Strategy objective - To improve child road safety and to equip children with the life skills needed to enable them to travel safely and become responsible road users.

Key strategy commitments included:

i. improving Britain's child pedestrian record, which was poor compared to other European countries

ii. enhancing the four key stages in road safety education: babies and very young children, primary age children, older children and older teenagers

iii. rolling out plans to improve the safety of school travel, including making it easier to travel to school by bus

iv. asking local authorities to carry out road safety audits

v. improving in-car design so that it takes special account of children

The child element of the strategy also contained a number of additional measures that are covered in other themes, notably safer infrastructure around schools and residential streets where most child accidents occur and better vehicle design such as safer car fronts.

Progress so far

68. A detailed action plan Child road safety - Achieving the 2010 target (March 2003) - published on the Department's website shows the progress that has been made and how child related road safety policies would continue to be developed to achieve the 50% target.
69. An extensive programme of research has improved our understanding of child pedestrian safety identifying risk factors, groups at particularly high risk, such as those living in disadvantaged areas, and how and when children develop the skills and understanding to become safer road users. This fundamental research has in turn been used to develop and evaluate effective training schemes and education resources to support road safety professionals, teachers and parents in delivering pedestrian and cycle training to children. Current and ongoing research continues to improve our understanding and evaluation of the above, but also includes a particular focus on the road safety of older children and adolescents.

i. Improving Britain's child pedestrian record

70. Our child pedestrian performance has improved with the overall number of child pedestrian casualties having fallen year on year. Similar trends have been seen in the overall number of child pedestrian KSIs, which in 2002 was 32% below the 1994-1998 baseline. Children aged between 11 and 15 remain the most at risk. Casualties in the lower age groups have, however, seen a downward overall trend since 1999.
71. The number of child pedestrian fatalities - 103 in 1998 - was high compared to other European countries. In 1999, 2000 and 2001 the number peaked at 107. However, in 2002 they fell to 79, the lowest level in the past 20 years. But there is clearly room for further improvement and we must now seek to build upon this fall.
72. Our pedestrian fatality rate per 100,000 child population of 1.21 in 1997 was also poor compared to others in Europe10. Despite the very slight increase in fatalities, our child pedestrian fatality rate reduced to 0.9 in 2000, and maintained this level in 2001. It further reduced to 0.7 in 2002. However, again there is room for further improvement to bring us even closer to our European partners such as the Netherlands whose pedestrian fatality rate has also improved from 0.66 in 1997 to 0.4 in 2002.

Child pedestrian training schemes

73. Child pedestrian training is one of the initiatives that can help reduce the number of child casualties of all severity and there are several types of pedestrian training schemes in use in local authorities.
74. Research tells us that children learn best from concrete examples from which they can begin to understand broader concepts. For pedestrian safety this means learning at the roadside. The strategy highlighted how the Drumchapel project in Glasgow had established that locally trained volunteers could improve the road safety skills of five to seven year olds if they were taught at the roadside in small groups using an interactive approach, and that these volunteers could be as effective as expert trainers. The skills that were developed as part of the Drumchapel project - how to teach finding safe places to cross and crossing between parked cars and at junctions - form the core of the Kerbcraft manual which is the basis of the Department's child pedestrian training pilot project.

The child pedestrian training pilot project

• the Department has provided funding totalling £9 million to research the transferability of the Drumchapel experience to disadvantaged communities in England
• the money is allocated to 64 local authorities to run a total of 103 three year Kerbcraft schemes, they were selected in three annual competitions on the basis of their level of deprivation and child pedestrian casualties
• the money funds the employment of a coordinator to find and train local volunteers (mostly parents) who will train small groups of five to seven year olds at the roadside using the Kerbcraft model. More than 16,000 children have already received training. The project is being fully monitored and evaluated
• every local authority in Wales has been given funding for a three year period to employ a coordinator to roll out pedestrian training
• the Scottish Executive is also providing additional funding to selected local authorities over a five year period for Kerbcraft schemes in Scotland.

ii. Enhancing child road safety education

Child road safety education in England and Wales

75. A number of important steps have been taken to improve children's basic road safety skills. A wide range of well researched and easy-to-follow resources have been made available to parents, carers, children and teachers. These include:

• Get Across Road Safety booklets aimed at parents of children in the 0-6 and 7-10 age range. The booklets include advice on how to teach road safety as well as what to teach and interactive exercises that parent's can do with their children. They are available in dual language in Punjabi, Urdu, Bengali and Gujarati with English, and other languages and formats on request
• Arrive Alive - a highway code for young road users
• On the Safe Side (Autumn 2001) - sets out road safety education guidelines for primary schools and secondary schools, together with local education responsibilities
• Making Choices (July 2001) - a research-based teaching resource for teachers to use with children in their last year of primary school and first year of secondary school who are gaining independence and starting to make more complex journeys alone.

76. Wider guidance on teaching safety issues in schools has been available on the Department for Education and Skills website since February 2002. A number of Think! campaign primary and secondary school lesson plans, which use national curriculum subjects to provide road safety messages, have also been available on the Department's website since May 2002. A selection of the lesson plans are also available in hard copy format with some additional teaching resources.
77. The Driving Standards Agency (DSA), in partnership with the police and Local Authority Road Safety Officers, have been taking forward the Arrive Alive scheme since 1997. This involves DSA staff visiting schools to promote key road safety messages to older teenagers. The presentations seek to make prospective young drivers much more aware of the vulnerability of learner and novice drivers out on the road. The initiative was extended to other locations, such as young offenders institutions, in 1999. Some 6,000 presentations are planned for the 12 month period starting April 2004.

Child road safety education in Scotland

78. In Scotland a key aim of the Scottish Road Safety Campaign (SRSC) is to promote road safety education and skills for children. This has included the production of a national strategy for road safety education for all schools in Scotland. The national strategy's overall aim is to deliver a structured, equitable and long term approach to road safety education. Central to the strategy is to ensure that all children and young people - covering pre-school, primary, secondary and special educational needs - receive a minimum amount of road safety education at school, covering specific topics at certain times.
79. The SRSC has developed a range of road safety education resources, in line with the national strategy. All resources link to Scottish national educational guidelines, in particular the Health Education 5-14 national guidelines, and are to be taught in Personal and Social Development. The resources are teacher and pupil friendly and are available in hard copies as well as downloadable from the Scottish Road Safety Campaign's website at www.srsc.org.uk.
80. The Scottish Executive funds free membership of The Children's Traffic Club in Scotland (CTCS) which offers road safety training to all 3 and 4 year old children. Around the child's 3rd birthday the parent can register their child with the free club. In support of the club there is also the CTCS Nursery and Playgroup Pack which links to the curriculum framework for 3-5 year olds and contains a wide range of activities. In addition there are gym cards, parents cards and stickers and pre-school registration pack. Resources are also available to health visitors, childminders and road safety officers.
81. At primary level, the main resource is Streetsense, which covers Levels A to E. Streetsense aligns with Health Education and also links to Citizenship and fits into the concept of a Health Promoting School. Streetsense includes booklets (with teachers' notes, suggested lesson plans and pupil activities), posters, photos, leaflets, gym cards (promoting physical activity) and an audio CD.
82. Other upper primary road safety education resources link to Streetsense. The Scottish Cycle Training Scheme (SCTS), which links to Health Education, is designed to give pupils the skills and knowledge to cycle safely and responsibly on the road. A support resource for the upper primary play The Journey has been developed, which links to Drama in Expressive Arts. The Junior Road Safety Officer (JRSO) Scheme links to Citizenship and promotes peer education. Two JRSOs are chosen in participating schools. Their role is to promote key local road safety issues through a notice board, competitions and assemblies. More information about this scheme is available at www.jrso.com. The website www.streetwiseguys.co.uk has fun road safety activities for pupils in the transition stage between primary and secondary school.
83. At secondary level, the S1/S2 PSD Road Safety Education pack is aimed at lower secondary pupils. This resource links to Health Education and includes teachers' notes, suggested lesson plans and pupil activities. Also included is a support resource for the S1 play The Nine Lives of Roddy Hogg.
84. An Out of School Care Activity Pack and playleaders leaflet was developed jointly by the SRSC and the Department. Pole Position, developed in partnership with UK Youth, Remit and Leicestershire County Council, is a game for youngsters aged 12-18Êyears in youth clubs and groups. The game is based around group discussion on motor vehicles, motor vehicle ownership, driving and responsible road use.
85. Future initiatives include the development of a teaching resource for upper secondary, a support resource for the upper secondary play Legal Weapon, an assembly pack, adult literacy resource, a training pack for Faculties of Education and a student teacher information booklet.

iii. Improving the safety of school travel

86. The promotion of healthier and safer travel to school options has long been a Government priority and associated policies have been strengthened since the strategy was launched.

School travel plans

87. In February 2001 Government funding was provided to help local authorities in England to employ staff to work with schools to develop school travel plans. Since May 2001 the Department has also been providing up to five days of free site-specific advice to schools.
88. In September 2003 the Secretaries of State for Transport and for Education and Skills jointly published Travelling to school - An action plan designed to further help schools promote safe and healthy travel to school in England. The Government is providing over £50 million of additional funding over 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 to help deliver a step change in the number of school travel plans that are implemented. These plans are expected to contain a mixture of measures including safer routes to school, more and safer road crossings, local speed restrictions, dedicated cycle ways and improved public transport provision.
89. The Scottish Executive provided £750,000 of funding for school travel coordinators inÊScotland in 2003-2004. This has been increased to £1 million in 2004-2005 and 2005-2006. The Welsh Assembly Government is currently developing a scheme to increase the take up of school travel plans in Wales.
90. Travelling to school - An action plan also sets out the intention to put legislation in place to allow a small number of Local Education Authorities to trial new approaches to school transport. A draft School Transport Bill published on 8 March 2004 seeks to free a small number of local authorities to develop innovative solutions and allow for a reasonable period of evaluation. Subject to Parliamentary approval, it is anticipated that the first schemes will commence in September 2006.

Yellow school bus pilots

91. The Department has also been monitoring the piloting of dedicated yellow school buses in certain local authority areas, which feature pick up points close to home, a seat for every child, seat belts and regular drivers specially trained in safety, security and child behaviour. An evaluation of the pilots published on 5 November 200311 shows that the dedicated school bus services were popular with parents and pupils and can play a valuable role in providing an alternative to using the car for the school run. However, the trials highlighted, amongst other things, that the dedicated school buses sometimes discourage children from walking and cycling.

iv. Child Road Safety Audits

92. Child Road Safety Audits enable local authorities to identify child road safety related problems within their authority. Following concerns that audits were not being undertaken in a consistent way, the Department issued guidance to all local authorities in England alongside the Local Transport Plan guidance. This guidance was reiterated in Travelling to school - An action plan in September 2003.
93. The Department is confident that the majority of local authorities are now undertaking child road safety audits and in a consistent format. However, the situation will continue to be closely monitored.

v. Improving child in-car safety

94. In 2002 the number of children killed or seriously injured as car passengers was 28% below the 1994-1998 baseline. However, the number remained static at around 940 in 2001 and 2002, with casualties in the 12-15 age group in particular levelling off. There are also consistently more in-car child KSIs in the 0-4 age group, than in the 5-7 age group.
95. Evidence shows that the wearing of seat belts greatly reduces the severity of an accident. The Department has therefore continued to regularly promote the wearing of belts and suitable child restraints through the Think! campaign. As a result, child restraint wearing rates are very high for the youngest children - regularly at 93% or above. However, rates for child restraint/seat belt use by those 5 years and above are only around the 85% rate. This supports maintaining the promotion of the use of the appropriate child restraint, rather than using the adult belt, until a child reaches the height of 150 cms, the lowest height for which adult belts are designed.
96. In Scotland, checks at car seat clinics found that up to 40% of child car seats were incorrectly fitted. The Scottish In Car Child Safety Campaign is addressing this through providing information and advice to parents, child seat checks and a website - www.protectchild.co.uk

Further progress expected by 2010

97. In addition to child pedestrian training, measures that have the potential to deliver noticeable reductions in child casualty figures between now and 2010 include:

• implementation of the European Directive on pedestrian protection, which was approved by the European Parliament in September 2003. When implemented this Directive will require new car models to have safer car fronts, which reduce the impact on pedestrians in the event of an accident. The change is also likely to provide some benefits to cyclists. It is estimated that phase 1 - covering new car designs introduced from 2005 - would eventually save around 3% of all pedestrian fatalities and 13% of serious injuries. Phase 2 covering even more demanding requirements for car designs is introduced from 2010
• Travelling to school - An action plan commits us to working with schools and local education and transport authorities to achieve travel plans in around 10,000 schools by March 2006. We would like all schools to have travel plans by the end of the decade
• a 2003 EU Directive on safety belts in vehicles12 being transposed into domestic legislation before 2006 requires, amongst other things, that children under 3 years may only travel in vehicles if they use a child restraint, and that older ones up to 150 cms in height (nearly 5 feet) must use a child restraint with very few exceptions. Introduction of the ISOFIX system, which will introduce a universal fixing for child restraints, will also help to ensure both correct and secure installation
• a report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development to be published shortly will provide valuable knowledge of best practice for child road safety based upon international experience. We will use this to help further develop our child road safety policies.

Significant points arising from the review

98. The policy review has confirmed good progress in implementing child road safety policies. Nonetheless measures to deliver even further reductions in child casualties across all age and road user groups should continue to be developed. A particular focus is needed on further reducing the level of child pedestrian and child in-car casualties, especially in the older age groups.

Theme 2: Safer drivers - training and testing

Strategy objective - To make learning to drive more relevant to today's road conditions, and those of the future.

Key strategy commitments included:

i. instilling in young people the right attitudes towards road safety and safe driving

ii. guiding learner drivers to take a more structured approach to learning and to prepare them for their driving career and not just to pass a test

iii. raising the standard of tuition offered by driving instructors

iv. improving the driving test in the light of better understanding about what needs to be examined and effective ways to do it

v. focusing on the immediate post-test period for novice drivers

vi. enhancing the status of advanced motoring qualifications

vii. addressing the needs of professional drivers

viii. reducing work related road safety risks

ix. continuing to publicise the dangers of driving while using a mobile phone.

Progress so far

i. Instilling in young people the right attitudes towards road safety and safe driving

99. The Driving Standards Agency's (DSA) presentations to older teenagers aim to influence young peoples' attitudes towards learning to drive and passing the driving test. DSA will deliver the presentation to any school, college or other organisation for young people with the aim of ensuring that those who may be thinking about taking the test, or are already learning, have the information they need about the driving test and responsible attitudes towards road safety.
100. The sessions provide information about learning to drive, the theory and practical driving tests, vulnerable road users, speed control, hazard awareness, drink and drugs, the New Drivers Act and the Pass Plus scheme.

ii. Guiding learner drivers to take a more structured approach to learning and to prepare them for their driving career and not just to pass a test

101. To support a structured approach to learning to drive, a revised version of the voluntary driver training logbook was launched in March 2003 to provide instructors with a driving framework and give learners a checklist against which progress can be monitored. It is now sent to all provisional car licence applicants and one million copies have already been distributed.
102. The Government consultation document Introducing a more structured approach to learning to drive (March 2002) sought views on a number of options affecting both learner and newly qualified drivers. The options included:

• a logbook to help structure training and to provide a syllabus
• a compulsory period for that training
• possibilities for a range of pre-test training measures and post-test restrictions
• and the possible introduction of compulsory probationary 'P' plates for novice drivers.

103. Having considered carefully all the responses received, the Government is not persuaded that there is currently sufficient evidence to justify further regulation of the way new drivers learn. The Department will pursue an alternative approach. First, in partnership with other interested parties, DSA will be promoting an education agenda for novice drivers, building on the voluntary logbook initiative with further learning resources. Further information is set out in a separate letter issued by the Department dated 7th April 2004. Secondly, regulatory arrangements for driving instructors will be reviewed to ensure that the public can have confidence that the driver training services that they are buying are of the highest quality.

iii. Raising the standard of tuition offered by driving instructors

104. Driving instructors are now required to take a new theory test, which includes the hazard perception element, as part of their qualifying exams. The pass mark has been set at a level to reflect the high standards we expect of those who give paid instruction to learner car drivers. All instructors who qualified before November 2002, when the hazard perception test was first introduced, will have their standards re-certified by autumn 2006 by undertaking a computer-based assessment of their knowledge and understanding of the modern syllabus and their hazard perception skills.
105. As a next phase in raising instructor standards, DSA will consult interested parties on measures to help improve the services available to the public, including the development of Continuing Professional Development in the industry. Research will help develop these policies.

iv. Improving the driving test in the light of better understanding about what needs to be examined and effective ways to do it

106. The strategy had set out the Government's view that better training and broader driving experience before taking the practical test would help learners become safe and responsible drivers before they could drive unaccompanied. Drawing on our programme of scientific research, the theory test has continued to be developed to help achieve this. Britain was the first in the world to use film footage of real road conditions to test drivers' hazard perception skills. Introduced into all types of theory tests taken since November 2002, this major step forward ensures learners develop their hazard perception awareness skills. The effectiveness of the hazard perception test is being closely monitored.
107. The strategy recognised that developments in domestic driver testing would take account of the European Union dimension. In 2000 the EU adopted13 higher minimum standards for driving tests conducted by Member States, which affects the content of theory and practical tests, and the vehicles in which practical tests may be conducted. Theory tests which addressed the new syllabus were introduced in spring 2003, and a new vehicle safety element was introduced into practical tests in autumn 2003. New and more demanding special exercises will be added to the practical motorcycling test in autumn 2008. The more demanding size and weight requirements for larger vehicles and vehicle-trailer combinations, so that test vehicles are more representative of those driven when qualified, will be fully implemented by 2010.

v. Focusing on the immediate post-test period for novice drivers

108. The DSA works in partnership with the insurance industry, and driving instructors, on the Pass Plus scheme. This encourages newly qualified drivers to take further training on aspects of driving that are not included in the practical test, for example, night time and motorway driving. The aim is to reduce the post test accident rate by increasing the take up of the course. Since 2000 take up has increased from 7% of those passing the test to 14%.

vi. Enhancing the status of advanced motoring qualifications

109. Drivers should continue to develop their skills after they have passed the test. DSA has agreed national minimum standards for advanced driving tests with organisations that offer them, and monitors a sample of tests to ensure that they are met.

vii. Addressing the needs of professional drivers

110. Steps have been taken to improve driver standards for larger vehicles such as lorries and buses. DSA worked with the road haulage and passenger transport industries to develop the driving elements of new occupational standards, which were adopted in 2002 and 2003 respectively. The apprenticeship scheme for young lorry drivers, the Young LGV Drivers Scheme, was updated in March 2003. DSA led UK's involvement within the European Union in the development of a Directive14 setting professional competency standards supported by compulsory initial qualification and periodic training for drivers of lorries, buses, minibuses and coaches. This Directive, which will be implemented from 2008, will mean that professional development and standards re-certification will be the norm for drivers of the largest vehicles on our roads.
111. Also in June 2003 funding of £1.7m was allocated through the Road Haulage Modernisation Fund to provide a new driver-training scheme for 4,000 lorry drivers and 200 instructors in England and Wales. A similar scheme, with funding of £1.575 million from the same source, was announced in Scotland in September 2003.
112. Since 1997 DSA has operated a Driver Quality Monitoring Scheme for bus drivers. Twelve bus companies, including Transport for London, currently employ the Agency to undertake periodic assessments of their drivers, helping those companies deliver a quality service to the public. DSA also offers a driver assessment service to local authorities that license drivers of hackney carriage taxis and private hire cars. Forty-two local authorities now use the Agency's services, including Transport for London for London hackney carriage taxi cab drivers. In 2003-2004 DSA expects to undertake 7,500 assessments, bringing an assurance of standards to the public using these services.
113. DSA has worked with the police, fire, ambulance and military services to identify core competences for drivers operating in emergency response circumstances, which these services have adopted within their training programmes.

viii. Reducing work related road safety risks

114. Research has shown that more than a quarter of fatal or serious accidents involved someone at work. In 2002 the Government agreed with the Health and Safety Commission a programme of work staged over a 3-5 year period to address the risks to those who drive on the roads as part of their work. The main focus is on:

• working with industry to develop and promote best practice
• raising awareness
• intelligence and data collection
• clarifying the investigation and enforcement regime
• research and guidance.

115. In September 2003, the Department and the Health and Safety Executive published free guidance Driving at work: Managing work-related road safety on at-work road risks. This contains advice to employers and the self employed on managing work-related road safety effectively and how it can be integrated into their existing health and safety arrangements. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), the Occupational Road Safety Alliance (ORSA), the Local Authority Road Safety Officers' Association (LARSOA) and other road safety interests have also been doing some excellent supporting work with employers by both promoting the risks and providing practical courses that show how they can be reduced.

Driving at work: Managing work-related road safety - Key messages

The guidance document sets out employers' legal responsibilities and the benefits of managing work-related road safety. It advises employers that they need:

• a top level commitment to effectively manage work-related road safety
• a clear policy for managing the risks
• systems for monitoring on-road accidents
• to carry out risk assessments, following the same health and safety principles applied to any other work activity:
• • Step 1 look for hazards
  • Step 2 decide who might be harmed
  • Step 3 evaluate the risk and decide action
  • Step 4 record findings
  • Step 5 review the assessment and revise if necessary.

Copies of the guidance may be obtained from HSE Books or downloaded from the Health and Safety Executive (www.hse.gov.uk) or Department's (www.dft.gov.uk) web sites.

116. In April 2002 DSA established a registration scheme for instructors specialising in providing training for those who drove cars and light vans as part of their work. Some 355 instructors are now registered.

ix. Ban on the use of hand-held mobile phones while driving

117. The strategy had made a commitment to continue to publicise the dangers of driving whilst using a mobile phone. It also undertook to keep the need for legislation under review. The Department commissioned RoSPA to carry out a review of all available research evidence, which highlighted the increased accident risk from using any type of phone while driving. In the light of this, the Government has made it an offence to use a hand-held mobile whilst driving. Although the use of hands-free equipment is not a specific offence, drivers risk prosecution for failure to have proper control if they are distracted by a call on a hands-free phone. The Department continues publicity to warn drivers of the dangers of using any type of mobile phone while driving and advises that all phones should be switched off before starting a journey.

Further progress expected by 2010

118. Measures that have the potential to deliver improvements in driver education, training and testing between now and 2010 include:

• the development by DSA, in cooperation with relevant stakeholders, of modern competency sets for different groups of driver and driver trainer. These will inform our efforts to promote a learning agenda to meet and sustain the standards for each group, the efficient regulation of the related training environment, and effective assessment strategies
• an enhanced focus on improving the learning process, including e-learning options, to enable trainees to maximise their potential to help themselves in a flexible and cost effective manner, helping social inclusion as well as road safety
• subject to legislation, the rationalisation of arrangements for training, testing and supervising all professional driving instructors, with detailed provisions tailored to the needs of different sectors, to ensure that instructors have the competences to deliver high quality services to the public
• further developments of the driving test, including more sophisticated computer-based assessments, so that candidates and the public can be confident that tests provide a robust service to assure public safety
• the introduction of certification of professional competence for lorry and bus drivers should improve the availability of a skilled workforce to the road freight and passenger transport sectors, with economic and environmental, as well as safety benefits
• improved awareness by employers and employees about road safety for those who drive cars and vans as part of their work. This should also help improve standards of private motoring
• the European Commission has adopted draft text for a 3rd Directive on driving licences. This proposes, amongst other things, changes to the definitions of categories of driving licence, changes to the minimum ages for driving and riding and the introduction of common standards for driving examiners. No decisions have been taken and the views of stakeholders are being sought through a consultation exercise, which commenced on 18 February 2004.

Significant points arising from the review

Work related road safety - The need to encourage more employers to adopt best practice to reduce risks to their employees when out on the road. As well as delivering casualty savings, this reduces companies' costs in respect of staff absence and vehicle repair costs.

Driver behaviour - It is already known that excessive or inappropriate speed is a major contributory factor in accidents, particularly those involving a fatality. Analysis of available STATS1915 data indicates that many car accidents are caused by loss of control, with careless, reckless or aggressive driving contributing to an increasing proportion, and therefore core number of, accidents. Analysis of motorcycle accidents has also highlighted similar issues with rider behaviour.

119. The indication that driver behaviour and attitudes are contributing to a core number of serious or fatal accidents has consequences for many areas of the strategy, including training and testing, speed management and enforcement.
120. Analysis of STATS19 data has shown that:

• the proportion of KSI car occupant casualties that occur as a result of accidents at bends has risen from 23.7% in 1997 to almost 26% in 2002 - this represents around 4,800 KSI casualties each year
• the proportion of KSI car occupant casualties that occur as a result of accidents involving a vehicle hitting an object off the carriageway has risen from 31.2% in 1997 to above 35% - this represents around 6,800 KSI casualties each year.

Increase in proportion of car occupant KSIs at bends or when car hit an object off carriageway

121. This finding is also reflected in TRL's more detailed investigation of car occupant fatalities, which provides an overview of the circumstances in which they died. Some of the principal findings are also strongly associating drivers aged under 30 with fatal accidents. A summary of the main findings is set out below. More detail can be found at Appendix 2. Chapter 4 shows some of the ways that the strategy is being developed to tackle this issue.
122. Based upon an analysis of the 10,238 car occupant fatalities that occurred between 1997 and 2002 - this constitutes 6,749 drivers, 3,489 passengers:

• 28% of drivers involved in accidents where at least 1 car occupant died were in the 20 to 29 age group. A further 14% were under 19, and 16% were aged 65 or over
• the peak age group for driver fatalities was 20 to 24 - 17% of male driver fatalities and 13% of female driver fatalities were in this age group
• the peak age group for passenger fatalities was 16 to 19 - 32% of male passenger fatalities and 18% of female passenger fatalities were in this age group
• the majority of car occupants died on non-built up roads - 70% of drivers and 64% of passengers. Within this, 50% of drivers and 45% of passengers died on AÊ(non-built up roads)
• 32% of car occupants died in single vehicle accidents that involved no other vehicle
• 29% of drivers and 29% of passengers died when the car left the carriageway and hit either a tree or another permanent object
• about one third of fatal accidents occurred at bends
• 6% of fatalities occurred whilst overtaking.

Theme 3: Safer drivers - drink, drugs and drowsiness

Strategy objective - To reduce the number of accidents in which driver impairment is a factor.

Specific strategy commitments included:

i. introducing new measures to reduce drink driving further

ii. developing more effective ways to tackle drug driving

iii. carrying out research to improve understanding of drug driving

iv. strengthening and enforcing laws on driving time for lorry, bus and coach drivers

v. making people aware how much tiredness contributes to road accidents and advise drivers and employers how to cut the risks.

Progress so far

123. In addition to drink, drugs and drowsiness, the medical condition of a driver also impacts upon ability to drive safely. The Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency's Drivers Medical Group (DMG) has the important role of making sure that the minimum standards of medical fitness comply with UK and EC legislation in this area. In applying these rules the DMG seeks both to ensure that medically unfit drivers are not out on the road and take account of the transport needs of individuals, including those with special needs and the disadvantaged.

Driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs

124. The strategy had indicated that the Government would consider the issue of the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit in the context of any decisions taken in Europe. There was, in the event, not a formal directive tabled but the European Commission produced its own recommendations on the matter in January 2001. This was carefully considered. However, it was announced in March 2002 that the Government had decided not to change the limit but to focus on other measures to combat drink driving.
125. The police have long had enforcement powers to carry out roadside breath testing of drivers for driving under the influence of alcohol, together with the associated powers of arrest and to deal with those who refuse to cooperate. Since 2000 legislation has been made to improve the effectiveness of these powers. Under the Police Reform Act 2002 police were given powers to obtain evidential blood samples from unconscious suspects at hospitals and require them, on regaining consciousness, to agree to their analysis.
126. Under the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 legal alcohol limits and breath testing as applied to motorists was extended in modified form to the aviation and shipping modes of transport. At the same time enhanced police powers were provided to conduct preliminary tests for driving whilst impaired and assess whether the impairment might be due to drugs. These enhanced powers will be made available as soon as procedures and devices are approved.

iii. Carrying out research to improve understanding of drug driving

127. Research has been completed and published on: prevalence of drugs in fatal road accident victims; effects of cannabis and cannabis combined with alcohol; labelling of over the counter medicines and accuracy of Field Impairment Testing
128. The Department continues to participate in international groups through which research on this subject is shared. We also support the Home Office in developing the procedures and screening devices provided for in the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003.
129. The Scottish Executive published research on recreational drug use and driving in 2001. Following the research the Scottish Road Safety Campaign produced a television advert highlighting the techniques used by the police to detect drug drivers.

iv. Strengthening and enforcing laws on driving time for lorry, bus and coach drivers

130. The strategy had highlighted the intention to consult on the repeal of UK drivers' hours in favour of wider EU rules once the outcome of discussions on the EC Working Time in Road Transport Directive was known. Although the Directive is now agreed, the proposed consultation has been further deferred because of a European Commission proposal to amend the EU drivers' hours rules themselves - on which discussions are ongoing.

v. Driver fatigue, including making people aware how much tiredness contributes to road accidents and advise drivers and employers how to cut the risks

131. We have undertaken a considerable amount of research to increase our understanding of the risks associated with falling asleep at the wheel and of the likely counter measures. This work is continuing and has helped influence our publicity campaigns to warn drivers of the dangers of driving while tired and to take regular breaks. Campaigns started in August 2000 and have included leaflets, posters, TV and radio advertising. We have also used motorway variable message signs and truck backs to carry the 'Don't Drive Tired' message directly to drivers on the road. We also plan to target employers with information to highlight the risks of driver fatigue.

Further progress expected by 2010

132. Measures that have the potential to reduce the number of casualties caused by driver impairment between now and 2010 include:

• subject to legislation, the introduction of evidential breath testing at the roadside
• the development of devices to screen for the presence of drugs in a driver and to test for impairment.

Significant points arising from the review

Drink Driving - The estimated number of drink driving related accidents and casualties has steadily increased and in 2002 was the highest for ten years.

133. A considerable part of tackling drinking and driving is about changing cultural attitudes and this has involved a combination of enforcement and intensive publicity campaigns. There can be little doubt about the success of this approach, which by 2000 had produced a reduction of two thirds in those killed in drink related collisions compared with the late 1970's. Behaviour that was once commonplace and accepted has become unacceptable in the older age groups. However, there is now evidence that drink driving is increasing in the younger age groups, with those aged 20-29 the most culpable. This is a concern and we must now focus on instilling these same drink drive messages in the younger age groups.
134. The Government has been looking at the problems associated with alcohol misuse and a final report, setting out a cross governmental alcohol harm reduction strategy, was published recently. There is certainly widespread acceptance among responsible motorists that driving under the influence of alcohol is potentially dangerous. Penalties for drinking and driving are severe. But a combination of ignorance of the penalties and a flawed impression of what might be a 'safe' personal limit do still result in drivers ignoring the advice not to drink and drive.
135. Drinking and driving invariably involves the driver either taking a conscious but erroneous decision that he is fit to drive when he is not, or totally disregarding the anti-social and dangerous implications of such behaviour. This increase is therefore a further indication that driver behaviour and attitudes in this area are deteriorating.
136. Research has firmly established that at the blood alcohol concentration of 80 mg, the UK prescribed limit, a driver is five times more likely to be involved in a crash. But any alcohol impairs driving skill, affects the ability to judge speed and distance and slows down reaction times.
137. There has been a steady rise in the number of drink drive related accidents since 1999, the estimated total number in 2002 (13,150) was the highest since 1991. Similar increases have been seen in the number of drink drive related casualties. Changed driver attitudes brought about by sustained drink drive campaigns and effective enforcement over many years had previously led to a downward trend. However, the downward slight injury trend has reversed since 1999. A reversal has also been seen in the number of KSI casualties since 2000.

Drink drive casualties

138. In 2000 the strategy had indicated that there was a much greater chance that drink drivers would be caught as the police had substantially increased breath testing. However, recent Home Office statistics show a steady decline in the number of breath tests administered by the police in England and Wales since 1998. Meanwhile the percentage of tests that have proved positive over this period has risen from 13%, back to the early 1990s level of 16%.

Breaths tests in England and Wales

Theme 4: Safer infrastructure

Strategy objective - A greater emphasis on making the best use of the existing highway network, giving priority to treating the places with the worst safety, congestion and environmental records.

Key strategy commitments included:

i. ensuring safety is a main objective in designing, building, operating and maintaining trunk and local roads

ii. ensuring safety continues to be part of the planning framework for main and local routes

iii. publishing guidance about engineering for safer roads based on sound research and experiment

iv. monitoring progress on local efforts to reduce casualties.

Increased investment

139. The design, construction, operation and maintenance of roads, and the overall road environment, make an important contribution to the safety of all road users. So does the provision of public transport alternatives. Government spending plans across the 10 Year Transport Plan period from 2000 to 2010 more than double the provision for the previous 10 years. This is enabling investment in both local infrastructure and the strategic road network to be stepped up.

Safer local infrastructure

140. Most accidents continue to happen on local managed roads where people live, work and shop and where they come into close contact with vehicle traffic.
141. Local highway authorities undertake a wide range of activities that contribute to better road safety including better management and maintenance of existing roads, local road safety schemes, traffic calming, the creation of 20 mph zones, improved facilities for cyclists and pedestrians, safe routes to school projects and road safety education.

Examples of local road safety funding and investment

England: Local authorities invested over £115 million on road safety engineering schemes in 2002-2003 including 20 mph zones, traffic calming and improved pedestrian and cyclist facilities.

Scotland: Nearly £38 million will have been made available by the Scottish Executive between 2000 and 2006 for cycling, walking and safer streets projects and £27 million between 2003 and 2006 for the introduction of 20 mph speed limits around schools and related safety projects.

Wales: £20 million of local road safety grant will have been made available between 2000 and 2004 for making roads safer for all users. An additional £11m has been provided for Safe Routes to School schemes.

142. Local authority engineers play a key role in carrying out accident studies to identify where and what problems exist and also in identifying, prioritising, designing and evaluating practical and cost effective solutions. Local authorities continue to develop and adopt a mixture of engineering and traffic management measures and the success of local safety schemes have been identified as one of the particular successes in reducing casualties, particularly for vulnerable road users.
143. Local authorities in England submitted their first five year plans, which incorporated local safety strategies, under the new Local Transport Plan system in 2000. Authorities have welcomed this new process as it allows them to adopt a longer term approach and provides more flexibility to adopt a package of measures that meet their local needs. The submitted plans indicated that local authorities would deliver over 23,000 local road safety measures by the end of 2005.
144. Local authorities are required to prepare Annual Progress Reports setting out the progress being made against their plans and targets. Authorities' 2003 reports estimated that the local safety projects delivered in 2002-2003 would save nearly 5,000 casualties. As well as enabling authorities to monitor and review their local strategies, these progress reports are also helping Government to develop future policies.
145. The Transport Research Laboratory also continues to collect and evaluate data to see which local safety schemes are most effective. This is helpful in establishing and promulgating best practice and, with the help of many local authorities, the first edition of A Road Safety Good Practice Guide was issued in June 2001. The final report on the successful Gloucester Safer City project, which saw serious injuries and deaths reduced by 38% compared to the 1991-1995 average, was published in September 2003, alongside new Urban Safety Management guidelines.

Safer strategic road networks

England

146. In recognition that fewer casualties per mile travelled occur on England's strategic road network, the Highways Agency has a separate, but supporting, casualty reduction target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the national motorway and trunk road network by a third by 2010.
147. Good progress is being made. In 2002 the number of KSIs on the strategic road network was 11.5% below the 1994-1998 baseline. However, on motorways, where traffic growth is year on year increasing significantly above the national average, the numbers have remained largely static. Whilst they remain the safest roads in terms of casualty rates, one third of all fatalities on England's strategic road network in 2002 occurred on motorways.
148. The Highways Agency continues to deliver a wide range of investment and maintenance projects, including a £775m package of trunk road improvements announced on 1 April 2003. However, in recognition that continued safety improvement on its network can only be achieved in future through more diverse measures than simply infrastructure improvement, the Agency has recently established a five year safety plan to help delivery of all its activities in contribution to the road safety reduction targets. An essential aspect of this is the reflection that the Highways Agency expanded role as network operator is allowing an even greater focus on a safer service to all road users.
149. The Highways Agency's working relationship with the police is being developed to provide greater benefits to road users. The Traffic Management Bill published on 5 January 2004 confirmed the intention to give the Highways Agency new powers and responsibilities to keep roads clear, minimise the disruption caused by road works and keep traffic moving. The Agency is recruiting 1200 dedicated Traffic Control staff to carry out certain traffic management responsibilities and tasks to complement and supplement the work of the Police, including getting traffic moving after road incidents or breakdowns and setting matrix and variable message information signs. A new network of Regional Control Offices will be operated jointly by the Highways Agency and police, to monitor and manage traffic and coordinate responses to incidents.
150. Responsibility for enforcing traffic laws and investigating road accidents remains with the police. But the new working relationship will allow the police to spend more time and resources dealing with crime including the enforcement of road traffic law. In total, these new plans will free up the equivalent of £20m each year - the work of 540 police officers.

Anticipated benefits of Highways Agency Traffic Control Officers:

• a managed road network which should mean a safer network
• a reduction in secondary incidents
• reduced incident related congestion
• more reliable journey times
• freeing up police resources
• better information for drivers
• better intelligence on network performance to inform improvements.

151. The first phase of implementation of these changes, working within the existing legislative framework, takes place in the West Midlands from spring 2004. Further phases, covering the busiest stretches of the strategic road network in England, will be implemented over the following two years.
152. The Highways Agency is continuously seeking to reduce the length of time taken to deliver investment projects. This is always done against an underlying principle that safety standards are in no way compromised. The Highways Agency is also actively pursuing a programme of pilot Active Traffic Management measures that may bring congestion and safety benefits to more heavily trafficked sections of motorways.
153. The Highways Agency has introduced many new measures and practices to improve the safety of both road users and contractors and staff at roadworks. Compared with the last major study in 1992, the Personal Injury Accident rate at roadworks has reduced from 0.174 to 0.101. This indicates that there is now no significant difference in the accident risk to road users when roadworks are present.

Scotland

154. The Scottish Executive has recognised the pressures on the trunk road network in Scotland and has brought forward plans to complete the central Scotland motorway network, improving standards on the new sections of road and encouraging traffic away from secondary roads and the inherent conflicts and dangers presented by the mix of traffic and pedestrians. The Executive also plans to implement improvements to the long distance single carriageway network identified in route action plans. These will reduce casualties by creating safer conditions, but also improve driving conditions and the ability to overtake slower moving vehicles and thereby reduce frustration, leading to better and safer driving practice along the routes.
155. Road safety benefits are also delivered on Scottish trunk roads through a targeted programme of low cost safety schemes and through a programme of minor improvement works aimed at improving road layouts and removing hazards. Schemes intended primarily to deal with road safety problems are prioritised according to anticipated casualty reductions.
156. The Scottish Executive continues to develop its close relationship with the police and is presently working with them on a review of control room and roadside functions to determine the best methods for the future delivery and improvement of these functions. From the National Network Control Centre the National Driver Information and Control System (NADICS) is used to monitor and control traffic on the motorway and trunk road network. The system continues to be developed and 2003 has seen a significant increase in the number of Variable Message Signs together with further improvements to the NADICS traffic information website.

EuroRAP (European Road Assessment Programme)

157. EuroRAP (European Road Assessment Programme) is a growing Europe wide initiative led by motoring organisations to provide road users with information to help them understand more about the sources of risk and how these vary on the motorway and A road network. The AA has taken the overall lead in the UK, working alongside the Highways Agency, the Department and TRL. Based upon an assessment of risk relative to comparable roads and the application of treatments to reduce casualties, EuroRAP objectives are:

• to reduce death and serious injury on European roads through a programme of systematic testing of risk that identifies major safety shortcomings which can be addressed by practical road improvement measures
• to ensure that assessment of risk lies at the heart of strategic decisions on route improvements, crash protection and standards of route management.

158. EuroRAP is seeking to model itself on the well established EuroNCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme) for car safety and the results of its first study were published in 2002.

Further progress expected by 2010

159. Measures that have the potential to improve the safety of the local and strategic road networks between now and 2010 include:

• the second round of five year Local Transport Plans - Local authorities will be required to submit their second five-year transport plans in 2005. Covering 2006-2007 to 2010-2011, the plans are expected to retain a road safety focus, including further investment in local road safety schemes. The Government is using the accompanying guidance to strengthen road safety messages, including those aimed at further reducing the inequalities in deprived areas and embedding casualty reduction in a broader range of local transport investment projects
• the Highways Agency junction priority action programme - the Highways Agency will complete improvement works at ninety two priority junction sites across the network where congestion has been identified as a major localised problem
• the Department is preparing Local Transport Notes on traffic calming, which will assist local authorities in the planning, design and evaluation of traffic calming schemes in both urban and rural areas, and on improving provision for walking and cycling
• the Department, in conjunction with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, will produce a new Manual for streets. This manual will include technical guidance on the design of local roads although the exact scope is yet to be determined.

Significant points arising from the review

Local Authority resources - Local authorities are delivering good casualty reductions on the ground through a wide range of education and engineering measures. However, reflecting the overall problem in transport planning, there is a shortage of suitably qualified and skilled road safety staff in local authorities.

160. The issue of a shortage of adequately skilled resources in local authorities has long been recognised and is a reflection of the problem across other aspects of transport planning and delivery. The Government continues to support the Transport Planning Skills Initiative, which seeks to address the root causes and reduce the wider skill shortage in transport planning. The stability of funding provided through the 10 Year Plan approach gives both local authorities and private sector partners confidence that investing in people and skills will be worthwhile. A long term planned approach to transport investment is the key to addressing skills shortages in the long term.
161. The Government also continues to work with others to promote road safety as a profession and seek to increase its attraction as a career to younger people. We are also seeking to help local authorities make the best use of their resources through, for example, placing greater emphasis on developing both the range and level of road safety skills already in authorities and the toolkit to which they have access.

Theme 5: Safer speeds

Strategy objective - Develop and maintain speed management policies that contribute to a reduction in road casualties.

Key strategy commitments included:

i. publicising widely the risks of speed and the reasons for limits

ii. developing a national framework for determining appropriate vehicle speeds on all roads, and ensuring that measures are available to achieve them

iii. developing a new hierarchy of rural roads defined by their function and quality, which would combine flexibility at local level with national consistency

iv. encouraging more local authorities to use the increased powers they now have to introduce 20 mph zones and speed limits, where appropriate, in urban areas

v. researching a number of speed management problems to gain the necessary information to develop and test policies

vi. pilot schemes for development of a speed camera funding mechanism, in the longer term roll-out camera funding nationwide.

Progress so far

162. The strategy made commitments to investigate and implement policies in several areas of speed management. A number of those commitments are designed to help drivers and riders be more aware of speed limits and thus make it easier to comply with them. Those already delivered, include:

• establishing the policy that 30 mph should be the norm for villages in the United Kingdom, supported by traffic calming measures where appropriate
• securing type approval for and issuing guidance promoting wider use of speed activated signs, which are triggered when they detect a vehicle is exceeding the speed limit, flashing up a warning to make drivers and riders aware of the limit and/or of any hazard ahead
• improvements and clarifications to speed limit and speed camera signing through publication of revised Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 in January 2003.

163. A continuing programme of research and liaison with key stakeholders has enabled us to gain the necessary information to develop and test new policies. Those key stakeholders include the County Surveyors' Society and the Institution of Highways & Transportation, who have provided invaluable help from the practitioners perspective.
164. Enforcement of the law is an important element in dealing with excessive speed. But the great majority of people want to drive or ride safely, and respect speed limits. And throughout all the measures set out below, the Government's objective is to encourage and assist people drive and ride at safe and legal speeds, including raising awareness of speed limits and helping people assess and adopt appropriate speed at all times, as well as dealing with the minority of people who deliberately break the law.

i. Publicising widely the risks of speed and the reasons for limits

165. We are committed to reducing excessive and inappropriate speed and the high level of deaths and serious injuries that result. Latest annual figures in Vehicle Speeds in Great Britain: 2002 show that the proportion of motorists exceeding the 30 mph speed limit fell in 2002. This supports market research, which shows that there has been a gradual increase in the social unacceptability of speeding. The proportion of motorists finding it 'unacceptable' and 'highly unacceptable' to drive at 40 mph in a 30 mph area has risen from 60% in 1998 to 76% in 2003. However, driving in excess of the speed limit remains at a high level on all types of road. We are therefore considering how to help raise road users' awareness of speed limits and also help drivers and riders to recognise more easily both the speed limit and what is an appropriate speed on different types of road.

ii. Developing a national framework for determining appropriate vehicle speeds on all roads, and ensuring that measures are available to achieve them

166. Based upon the research that has been undertaken, we will shortly be consulting local authorities on an updated version of Circular Roads 1/93, which is the Department's current advice on the setting of local speed limits. The revised guidance will provide up to date advice on the setting of all local speed limits in both urban and rural areas. It will also include advice on topics such as 20 mph zones, traffic calming, enforcement and the signing necessary to help drivers and riders understand and recognise the different speed limits that apply. The guidance will also help road users by ensuring greater consistency across the country.

iii. Speed management in rural areas

167. The strategy had recognised the need to identify policies to improve speed management in rural areas, where excessive or inappropriate speed was a particular problem. The extensive research has provided a much better understanding of the speeds actually being driven on a range of rural roads. Many individual local authorities have introduced speed management schemes, making use of vehicle activated signs, which are proving effective on rural roads, particularly at the approaches to junctions and bends.
168. The ongoing research is enabling the Department to further consider the concept of a hierarchy of rural roads and also an assessment framework that will allow local authorities to establish what vehicles speeds are on the rural road network and therefore allow them to consider what speed limits might be appropriate for particular types of rural roads, and whether and where lower speed limits would be appropriate.
169. These are clearly complex issues and it is crucial that the way forward be informed by extensive, solid and appropriate research. This has taken time, but we are confident that progress can now be made. In taking this forward we plan to undertake a practical rural demonstration project in collaboration with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Countryside Agency, and involving selected local authorities. We shall also continue to take full account of the potential wide-ranging impact on rural communities.

iv. Encouraging more local authorities to use the increased powers they now have to introduce 20 mph zones and speed limits, where appropriate, in urban areas

170. The Department provided £3.5 million of funding to support the implementation of twenty-eight 20 mph zones over 2001-2002 and 2002-2003. Many local authorities are also already implementing 20 mph zones through their Local Transport Plans. Following trials of advisory 20 mph speed limits in residential areas throughout Scotland, the Scottish Executive has approved their roll out more widely in Scotland. The schemes are of benefit in making drivers aware of the most appropriate speed for the road.

v. Researching a number of speed management problems to gain the necessary information to develop and test policies

Mixed Priority Route Demonstration projects

171. The strategy had made a commitment to develop and test practical solutions to improve the safety of main roads through urban areas, which often carry high volumes of traffic as well high levels of pedestrian use and cycling. Ten Mixed Priority Route Demonstration Projects are underway looking at how the competing needs of through traffic and local communities might be better accommodated. The first five projects are due to be implemented by summer 2004. Five further schemes focusing specifically on how busy shopping streets can be made safer are being implemented during 2004 and 2005.
172. As well as reducing accident risk, the Mixed Priority Route Demonstration Projects are also seeking to reduce community severance and therefore improve the quality of local environments. All ten projects will be monitored and evaluated with the view to compiling and publishing a good practice guide, to help local authorities wishing to develop similar schemes in the future

vi. Pilot schemes for development of a speed camera funding mechanism, longer term roll out of camera funding nationwide

173. The Road Traffic Act 1991 provided for the use of camera technology to combat problems of dangerous speeding and traffic light offences. Government guidance in Circular 1/92 'Use of technology for traffic enforcement: Guidance on deployment' spelled out that the objective was reduced casualties, and that sites should be identified systematically, on the basis of collision statistics.
174. Many police forces and highway authorities took up the option, but did not have the resources to use the technology effec