Zero road deaths in Cumbria by 2040 - that is the aim in a new initiative by the Cumbria Road Safety Partnership (CRSP).
Accident hotspots have been targeted across the county.
CRSP sees partners from Cumbria Constabulary, Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, Cumberland Council, Westmorland and Furness Council, National Highways, Northwest Ambulance Service, Driver Vehicle Standards Agency, Ministry of Defence Police and BAE Systems come together to identify practical solutions to make roads safer and reduce Kills and Serious Injuries (KSIs).
In 2022 Cumbria Police attended 292 KSI collisions with 27 of those fatal.
driving is constantly highlighted as a public priority to the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.
“Therefore, I am really pleased to see agencies coming together to look at the high-risk roads and identify the changes that can be made to reduce deaths and serious accidents on the roads.
“The CRSP meetings will put focus on to these hotspot areas which will be the priority going forward – other aspects of anti-social driving will continue to be dealt with as part of day-to-day business.
“This is the first tactical meeting of the CRSP and I am looking forward to seeing the progress that they make to reduce accidents across the county.
“We can work together to make Cumbria’s roads safer for everyone. Whether they are a pedestrian or a driver, everyone should be able to get home safely.”
What are the hotspot roads?
Washington Street/Ramsay Brow, Workington
Front Street, Brampton
The Crescent, Carlisle
Carlisle Road Junction, Brampton
Bridge Lane, Penrith
A66, Crackenthorpe
Queens Road/Windermere Road junction, Kendal
Newby Bridge, A590
Vision Zero is a multi-national traffic safety initiative which was founded in the late 1990’s based on the philosophy that no one should be killed or seriously injured within the road transport network.
Sergeant Jack Stabler said: “Every death on the roads is a tragedy which is why Cumbria Constabulary is committed to embracing the Vision Zero goal and continuing to work to drive down the number of fatal and serious injury collisions on our roads.
“The road safety partnership will be a key to the success of this goal. It gets key agencies which can impact road safety in our county round the same table and working collaboratively for the same goal – to make our roads safer for all.”
Cumbria Police have already started work to reduce KSIs on the identified roads. A safety camera van was placed on the A66 between 20 and 30 April with 106 drivers caught speeding and one driver driving under the influence of alcohol.
Mike Clusker, Group Manager for Prevention at Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service and Tactical Chair of Cumbria Road Safety Partnership, said: “Our organisation plays a crucial role in raising awareness of road safety across Cumbria and Cumbria Road Safety Partnership is a great opportunity for us to collaborate and work closely with our partners.
“By utilising our resources, we aim to save lives, prevent accidents and injuries, and reduce the number of incidents in the areas we protect.
“At Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service we see first-hand the impact and effect each incident has on our communities. By developing collaborative campaigns, we hope to help educate and discourage unsafe road and driving habits, ultimately reducing the number of incidents on our roads.”
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