Issue - meetings

Recommendations: Executive Members are asked to note the report, and to recommend to the Chief Executive Officer that using his emergency powers he approve adoption of the 2021-2026 York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership Strategy.

Considered –

A report of the Corporate Director – Business and Environmental Services providing details on the draft 2021-26 York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership Strategy.

County Councillor Don Mackenzie introduced the report stressing that North Yorkshire remain very safe for all road users with the trend of serious accidents reducing.  He noted however that whilst only 7% of road users were motorcyclists, 26% of accidents involved motorcycles, and an emerging trend in cycling casualties.  He therefore acknowledged the need to focus on vulnerable road users such as motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians.

Mike Leah, Assistant Director - Travel & Environment, Waste and Countryside Services, went on to provide a detailed overview of the draft Strategy for 2021-2026, including a breakdown of the proposed safe systems approach and the four associated action areas (as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report).

Executive Members welcomed the revised strategy.  County Councillor Janet Sanderson noted that speeding offences made up 85% of the total offences recorded, and questioned whether there was an imbalance in the recording of offences as a result of the more costly resource intensive nature of recording other types of offences.

County Councillor Stuart Parsons suggested that some form of education for cyclists and car drivers would be helpful particularly as it was the perception of residents that North Yorkshire Police were not interested in speeding.  In response, it was confirmed by County Councillor Don Mackenzie, Executive Member for Access, that the new Police Fire & Crime Commissioner had made the control of speeding a top priority.

Members noted a marked increase nationally in the number of cyclists in the last few years.

County Councillor Bryn Griffiths suggested the recording of near misses would support a more pro-active approach to road safety, but it was noted that it would be very difficult to register near misses. 

Officers confirmed:

·          In urban areas there was a 50/50 split between motorist and cyclist errors, but in rural areas it was 70% cyclist error;

·          Data was used to identify dangerous stretches of road;

·          There was a higher maintenance regime for popular cyclist routes;

·          There was a criteria in place for where speed vans were deployed – it was suggested this needed revisiting;

All Executive Members present voted in favour of the draft 2021-26 York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership Strategy as presented, and it was

Resolved:

That it be recommended to the Chief Executive Officer that using his emergency powers he approve adoption of the 2021-2026 York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership Strategy.