Road safety action plan released for West Midlands
Leaders in the West Midlands have unveiled the region's new road safety action plan, which aims to tackle dangerous driving and save lives.
The plan has been drawn up by West Midlands police, Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), local councils and the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner.
It is expected to be approved by the mayor and council leaders at the WMCA board meeting on November 15.
It will also be delivered with the help of a dedicated road safety commissioner - a new role, for which a person is currently being sought.
A total of 23 actions have been put forward, include funding for extra staff to review speed camera and dashcam footage to increase the number of people prosecuted for speeding and dangerous driving along with a quarterly review of all road deaths and serious accidents to learn lessons and advise on action.
Other measures are set to include working with the media to highlight successful prosecutions for dangerous driving, more action to identify and remove uninsured vehicles and drivers from the roads, and additional support for victims through restorative justice and organisations like RoadPeace.
Simon Foster, the West Midlands police and crime commissioner, said: "Road deaths and serious injuries are not just unfortunate collisions.
"They are predictable, preventable, and unacceptable. Evidence shows that setting a road safety target is an effective way to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured in traffic crashes.
"The Action Plan sets out a range of measures that partners have collectively and collaboratively committed to delivering, in order to achieve that target.
"I am committed to playing my part, so that we prevent and tackle crime and anti-social behaviour and reduce the number of people tragically and avoidably killed and seriously injured on our roads."
Foster and the mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker, are also lobbying the Government over fixed penalty fines for driving offences - allowing the partnership to keep the money in the region and invest it in road safety.
Currently income from local fines, worth more than £2 million in the West Midlands each year, goes straight to the Treasury.
The full road safety action plan can be read HERE.
