Road Safety Strategy (FOI)

Request

In review of recent spate of serious road traffic collisions, including the incident which resulted in the death of a cyclist, please advise the following in relation to the Road Safety Strategy work:

A

Does the current Infrastructure Minister intend to adopt the recommendations of that review, in particular the target of a 50 percent reduction in fatal and serious injuries over the period from 2023 to the end of 2032?

B

Why was the target date for publication of the Road Safety Strategy (scheduled for 2022) missed?

C

When does the Infrastructure Minister expect to publish the Road Safety Strategy?

D

How many Government officers are currently dedicated to the work on road safety stemming from the Road Safety Review?

E

What budget has been allocated to the Road Safety Strategy?

Response

A

The Minister for Infrastructure accepts the recommendations of the Island Road Safety Review (the ‘Review’), including the adoption of a target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured by 50% over a ten-year period. 

While the Review indicated a starting date of 2023, further time has been required to resolve funding and recruiting requirements linked to the establishment of a dedicated Strategic Road Safety Unit, i.e., a Road Safety Co-ordinator, Road Safety Officer and Technical Support Officer, and the setting up of a Road Safety Partnership Board from across the Government of Jersey and other key stakeholders, both a requirement of the International Safety System Approach. 

As a result, the Government of Jersey are seeking to commence the casualty reduction period from 2024.

B and C

As detailed in the response to question A the work in relation to the Road Safety Strategy and Casualty Reduction Plan is still on going.

Subject to the establishment of a dedicated Strategic Road Safety Unit and Road Safety Partnership Board, who will provide the final approvals, it is envisaged that the Road Safety Strategy (‘Strategy’) will be published in late 2023 or early 2024.

The Government of Jersey will progress any individual Island Road Safety Review recommendations alongside the Strategy when they are able to while the documents are being finalised.  

It should be noted that the draft Review and Strategy documents would be exempted from release under Article 35 (Formulation and development of policies) of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 as the documents have not as yet been finalised.

D

One officer from the Transport Team within Infrastructure and Environment has been assigned oversight and is working with an external road safety specialist.

E

A budget of £375,000 per annum has been secured via the Car Park Trading Fund, i.e. through parking charge income.  

This budget will be used for the following items but is not limited to these activities:

• fund staff costs
• undertake core road safety functions, including education, training and publicity
• to provide accident / casualty data reporting and specific initiatives linked to the Strategy
  

Further funding may be required for individual initiatives and schemes on a case-by-case basis from existing Infrastructure and Environment funding or via Government of Jersey plan bids. 

Article 35 - Formulation and development of policies

Information is qualified exempt information if it relates to the formulation or development of any proposed policy by a public authority.