Assembly’s Road Safety Money: Saving Lives and Cutting Accidents by 400 a Year

A report has been published proving that Welsh Assembly money for local councils like Bridgend to improve road safety is dramatically reducing serious collisions, deaths and injuries on Bridgend roads.

For the year 2005/6, £323,000 was given to Bridgend County Borough Council by the Labour Welsh Assembly Government to pay for more road safety projects.

A consultant’s report to the Assembly today revealed that across Wales ninety people are year are being saved from death or serious injury and serious traffic collisions are down by 372 incidents each year thanks to the extra cash.

In 2003 this Labour Assembly Government set out a road safety strategy to reduce casualties on our roads by 2010 – to cut adult casualties by 40% and child casualties by 50% - and this independent report today shows that we are well on our way to do this.

Less roads accidents also means our ambulances, hospitals and health services have more money for other needs – today’s report says we’re saving up to £32 million a year in Wales thanks to extra spending on road safety.

The Assembly introduced the Local Road Safety Grants in 2000 – and the £323,000 given to Bridgend County Borough Council has been used to pay for more pedestrian crossings, anti skid surfacing and traffic calming measures.

This money is proving a real benefit for drivers and pedestrians in Bridgend. This money has made it safer for parents and children to walk to school, for older people to get around and is making collisions on Bridgend roads much less likely.

The money is also being used to teach road safety lessons to local pre-school and primary school children.

The report revealed that new 20- mph zones, mini-roundabouts and road visibility improvements are getting the best results in reducing accidents.

This Labour Assembly Government has committed itself to making Bridgend roads safer for all and I am very pleased that this report today shows us that we’re taking the right approach.