Safety fears over ‘high risk’ road network

The figures from the Road Safety Foundation (RSF) have discovered a drastic cut in accidents in 10 of the country’s most notorious blackspots due to investment in speed cameras and traffic management, with fatal and serious crashes down from 541 in 2001-2005, to 209 in 2006-2010.

However the survey also revealed for the first time the busiest high-risk roads in the country, including part of the A642 from Wakefield to Huddersfield, a stretch of the A537 from Cheshire to Buxton in Derbyshire, and a section of the A1101 from Outwell in Norfolk to Long Sutton in Lincolnshire.

Despite the survey overall showing the average risk rating has fallen in all regions to 31 fatal and serious crashes per billion vehicle kilometres travelled, Yorkshire remains one of the most dangerous areas in Britain.

Dr Joanne Marden, director of RSF, said: “Even a modest ambition to improve these sections of road - so they simply get an ‘average’ risk rating and became six times more risky than motorways - would save many lives and cost savings to the economy of £20 million annually.

“The planned reforms in road financing means a new focus on measuring safety performance and the high returns quickly available from safety engineering.

“Where there is clear evidence of higher risk and heavy traffic flows, the economic case for intervention is compelling. With 2 per cent of GDP lost in road crashes as well as lives, we can get quick, guaranteed returns by raising safety levels.”

The survey discovered higher-than-average risk on roads in Scotland, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, Wales and the East of England, while lower-than-average risk was evident in England’s South East, North West, South West and North East areas and in the West Midlands.