Vision Zero

In the past 5 years, 105 people died because of collisions on the roads of Leeds and 1,777 were seriously injured (an average of 376 killed or seriously injured per year and 31 per month).

In Leeds in 2022 alone there were 505 collisions which resulted in death or serious injury. There were 529 serious casualties and 27 people died on our roads (an average of 46 killed or seriously injured per month). 

Zero road deaths is the only acceptable number 

Everyone has the right to make safe and healthy journeys 

Everyone can do something that will make a difference 

Vision Zero is about refusing to ‘accept’ road deaths and serious injury as a part of mobility. It is about a mindset change that road death is a public health issue and needs to be addressed.

Vision Zero takes a Safe Systems approach which considers the bigger picture of road safety and how to make the whole traffic system safer. It acknowledges that, while road-users should behave safely and legally, people sometimes make mistakes, and some mistakes lead to crashes, so we need to:  

• prevent mistakes happening in the first place 
• ensure that any mistakes that do happen don’t end in fatal or serious injury 

There are 5 pillars to the Vision Zero approach: Safe Behaviour & People; Safe Speeds; Safe Roads; Safe Vehicles; and Post-collision Learning and Care.

Here are some key examples for what has been done so far, for each pillar:

• 17, 165 Primary School Pupils received school-based Road Safety lessons in 2022, and 22,694 in 2023. 
• 9,248 pupils received Bikeability cycle training sessions in 2022, and 13,327 in 2023.
• 4,509 Year 7 pupils from 20 Secondary Schools watched a Theatre in Education piece on Road Safety in the 2023/24 academic year.
• 7 Young Driver workshops delivered in FE colleges, 6^th forms and workplaces (TTC) since February 2024, with 12 more booked for April-July 2024. Leeds is allocated 22 places from WY funding.
• 169 Child Car Seats checked over 6 checking events with Good Egg. 60% were incorrectly fitted – 46% with minor errors, 14% with major errors.
• Using Op Snap (an online portal where you can upload footage of suspected driving offences), 1,922 submissions were made between June 2023 and December 2023. In 2/3 of these cases, action was taken against the driver.

• The 20mph programme is nearly complete, and now covers all suitable residential areas/schools, with Harewood being the final ward.
• In 5 rural locations, speed limits will be reduced from national speed limit to 50mph. 
• Average speed cameras introduced on Stanningley bypass, with more due to be installed.
• Working with WY Safety Camera Partnership, there is now a new criteria for speed camera locations and community concern sites. The West Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership enforces speed limits in our region and has installed fixed safety cameras at high-risk locations in Leeds where there is evidence of speeding or where speed-related injuries have been sustained. 

• City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) and Connecting Leeds are working together to develop programmes to improve pedestrian and cycle safety (e.g. Armley Gyratory, Fink Hill, Otley Road).
• Leeds has applied for powers under part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 for moving traffic violations, which has been approved and is being rolled out.
• Sensor technology to detect near misses and red-light running is being trialled at 3 locations.

• A working group of appropriate Leeds City Council teams has been formed to improve the Leeds City Council fleet of vehicles, in terms of safety. 
• Tyre safety messages were promoted in October 2023. 

• Road safety collision data has been monitored and analysed to inform future programmes.
• The SCARD Oakleaf Service for National Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims was attended. 
• Civic buildings have been lit up on remembrance days.
• Began work with West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Working Vision Zero Board to improve post-collision support and care for victims and families.

Take a look at some of the frequently asked questions about Vision Zero here:

• Link