Scotland to have UK’s toughest KSI targets

17 June 2009

The Scottish Government has announced the toughest road safety targets in the UK, with ministers demanding a further 40% reduction in fatalities and a 50% cut in serious injuries by 2020.

Scottish transport minister Stewart Stevenson, announcing the new targets which trump the 33% reduction in deaths and serious injuries that Whitehall ministers are consulting on, also declared that Scotland’s aim should be ‘a future where no-one is killed on the roads’.

The proposed new road safety framework for Scotland, a first for the country, builds on the 45% reduction in the numbers killed and seriously injured (KSI), already achieved in 2007.

The document acknowledges that the targets are ‘deliberately challenging’, particularly for child deaths. A 65% reduction in serious injuries is demanded and a 50% cut in deaths, because Scotland’s record here is ‘proportionately worse than that of England and Wales’.

The Scottish Government said it would welcome recognition of the new targets within the ‘single outcome agreements’ for local authorities, which replaced centrally-set targets branded as ‘bureaucratic’ by ministers.

The engineering measures contained in the framework include the encouragement of 20mph zones in all urban areas, the ‘designing out’ or protection of roadside features that result in death or serious injury, and route-based safety strategies to address multiple reasons for accidents.

Other measures include action to improve school bus safety through new guidance on pick-up and drop-off points, and a pilot scheme to test intelligent speed adaptation.

But, while road safety engineers have attacked the scrapping of ring-fencing for most of councils’ capital funding, the document merely reiterates that there is a specific road safety capital budget of £3M.

Douglas Muir, chair of the road safety and traffic management group of the Society of Chief Officers for Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS), however, told Surveyor that ‘these challenging targets will help us when we’re fighting for money come budget time’.

Muir, of Midlothian council, acknowledged that ‘it won’t be easy’, but Scotland had a good track record. All authorities had, for example, introduced 20mph zones in residential areas surrounding schools, he said.

Register now for full access

Register just once to get unrestricted, real-time coverage of the issues and challenges facing UK transport and highways engineers.

Full website content includes the latest news, exclusive commentary from leading industry figures and detailed topical analysis of the highways, transportation, environment and place-shaping sectors. Use the link below to register your details for full, free access.

Already a registered? Login