To receive the report in the name of the Director of City Development to inform the Board’s exploration of road safety concerns in Leeds.
Additional information for participants: The Board scheduled two meetings to examine this subject of which this is the second. These papers have been designed to inform the discussion at both of those meetings.
Minutes:
The report of the Director of City Development highlighted the following:
· An outline of the current approach to reduce the number of casualties on the public highway and thus to support the Best Council Plan.
· The national and regional strategies to be considered and acknowledged in our road safety plans.
· The new approach to road safety, Vision Zero and outline the timetable to produce and adopt the strategy and plan.
This was the Board’s second session of the Road Safety Inquiry and the main focus was to hear the views of local road safety campaigners.
The following were in attendance:
- Gillian McLeod, Transport Development Service Manager
- Lynsey McGarvey, Principal Transport Planner
- Nick Hunt, Traffic Engineering Manager
- Vicki Franks, Safe and Sustainable Travel Team Leader
- Gary Bartlett, Chief Officer, Highways & Transportation
- John Scruby, Support & Care After Road Death (SCARD)
- David Smith, Victim & Witnesses Service Advisor (WYCA)
- Ian Greenwood, Road Safety Campaigner
- Paula Knights, Road Safety Campaigner
- Jill Walshaw, Road Safety Campaigner
- Superintendent Ed Chesters, West Yorkshire Police Lead on Road Safety
- Inspector Nick Berry, West Yorkshire Police
- Paul Jeffrey, Partnership & Innovation Mgr, Casualty Prevention Bureau
The Board was informed that the Transport Strategy had recently been approved by Executive Board. The aim of Vision Zero was to work collaboratively and innovatively with the target that there would be nobody killed or seriously injured on the roads in Leeds by 2040. It was a challenging ambition and a different approach would be taken to consider the whole system and process of road safety. This would include vehicle manufacturers, housing design and people’s behaviour. A shared approach and responsibility.
The Board heard from Ian Greenwood who explained why he had become involved in campaigning for road safety. Mr Greenwood had tragically lost his daughter in a road traffic collision caused by reckless drivers who had been racing at speeds in excess of 80 miles per hour. He spoke about the subsequent devastating consequences caused by road deaths and avoidable crashes. He also informed the Board of the varying responses he had received from authorities and local leaders.
Mr Greenwood thanked the Board for the opportunity to speak and that he was pleased to see the targets set out in Vision Zero as there was a need to do better in West Yorkshire and Leeds
Further issues highlighted by Mr Greenwood included the following:
Paula Knights addressed the Board. Paula’s son had been killed travelling in a speeding car with a group of friends which had collided with another vehicle. Paula spoke of the devastating consequences on herself and family. Since the accident, Paula had worked with Brake, the road safety charity with Year 11 and 12 children in local schools. She had also been involved in campaigning for Speed Cameras in Horsforth where the accident had happened. This had included work with Local Councillors and a Social Media campaign. Jill Walshaw whose son was also killed in the same accident also told the Board of her experiences following the accident.
The Board was reminded of the recently approved Transport Strategy which included Vision Zero and gave the context to move forward. The Department for Transport had supported the strategy. Members were reminded of the size of the challenge and the need for every member of society to be involved.
In response to Members comments and questions, the following was discussed:
The Chair thanked all for their attendance and valuable contributions to the Inquiry.
RESOLVED – That the report and discussion be noted.
Supporting documents: