7. ROAD SAFETY Surrey is committed to making Surrey s roads safer for all road users. Through careful planning and good road design, together with a strong road safety education and enforcement programme, the Council and its partners strive to reduce injuries and make using the roads a safer and more positive experience. In 2007 the Surrey Safety Camera Partnership installed 10 new safety camera enforcement sites at collision hotspots. They also invested in 26 new Vehicle Activated Signs (VAS) on the approach to camera sites to remind drivers of the limits and make the drivers aware of the enforcement 73. A comparison of before data (the average number of collisions per year in the three years prior to cameras going live), with after data (the average number of collisions per year during the first two years and three months of enforcement provided by the Surrey Safety Camera Partnership to the end of June 2007) shows that there has been: 35% reduction in the total number of collisions (equivalent to 47 fewer collisions per year) across 17 fixed and 3 mobile speed enforcement sites. 71% reduction in collisions resulting in death or serious injury (equivalent to 14 fewer collisions resulting in death or serious injury per year) across 17 fixed and 3 mobile sites. 11% reduction in the total number of collisions (equivalent to 5 fewer collisions per year) across 11 red light violation camera sites. 61% reduction in collisions resulting in death or serious injury (equivalent to 6 fewer collisions resulting in death or serious injury per year) across 11 red light violation camera sites. Details of the other activities, schemes and campaigns currently being run within Surrey can be found on the Surrey County Council Road Safety pages available online at: http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/roadsafety 73 http://www.surrey-safecam.org Issue No. 1 Page 51 of 162 Document No. 3368/TS6/Doc_01
7.1. Casualties 8000 7500 Number of Casualties 7000 6500 6000 5500 5000 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 Year Figure 7.1: All road casualties in Surrey, 1995-2007 74 Figure 7.1 shows that from 1995 to 1999 there was a stabilisation in the total number of casualties. After 1999 the casualty rate shows more fluctuations with increases in 2001 and 2004 but an overall decrease from 1998 to present. The total number of casualties during the year 2007 has decreased by 19.1% from the 1994-1998 baseline average. This reduction is smaller than the national average decrease of 22.5% and the South East decrease of 18.6%. 75 Further analysis of road casualties in Surrey during 2007 follows. 76 Nearly three quarters (73%) of all injuries in 2007 were caused to car drivers and passengers. This statistic alone highlights the high level of car use within the county, and the importance of reducing the number and lengths of car journeys, to not only improve the environment and congestion, but also to reduce the number of injuries on the road. Just 20% of all injuries in Surrey occurred on motorways and trunk roads. This highlights the fact that most injuries occur on roads with a speed limit of 40 mph or less, and mostly in built-up areas. As a result, the emphasis must continue to be on improving road safety in urban areas. 74 Surrey County Council (2008), Safety Engineering Team 75 Data extrapolated from the Department for Transport (2008), Road Casualties Great Britain: 2007. 76 Surrey County Council (2008) Safety Engineering Team Issue No. 1 Page 52 of 162 Document No. 3368/TS6/Doc_01
Road casualty statistics can be broken down and analysed at district level. Table 7.1 shows casualties by district and by mode of transport. Injuries on motorways and trunk roads, which are the responsibility of the Highways Agency, are shown separately. Surrey County Council is responsible for all other public roads. Borough/ Pedal Motor Bus/ Goods Motorway Car Pedestrian Other Horse District Cycle Cycle Minibus Vehicle and Trunk Total Runnymede 269 20 30 46 0 9 3 0 209 586 Spelthorne 238 27 34 45 3 0 20 0 102 469 Surrey Heath 347 29 34 40 4 8 3 0 54 519 Woking 261 36 39 48 3 5 4 0 12 408 Elmbridge 295 34 49 64 4 1 33 0 97 577 Epsom and Ewell 166 24 23 32 4 1 7 0 0 257 Guildford 584 66 54 68 16 25 2 1 148 964 Mole Valley 244 27 35 37 0 4 2 1 64 414 Reigate and Banstead 372 48 38 70 1 9 4 1 117 660 Tandridge 293 23 16 44 3 7 7 0 158 551 Waverley 491 40 26 45 10 23 1 1 71 708 Motorway and Trunk 891 6 2 59 3 48 23 0-1032 County Roads 3560 374 378 539 48 92 86 4-5081 Total 4451 380 380 598 51 140 109 4 1032 6113 Table 7.1: Casualties by district and road user type 77 Table 7.1 shows that 16% of the 6113 casualties in Surrey during 2007 occurred in the Borough of Guildford whilst Epsom and Ewell suffered the least casualties with just 257 or 4% of the total. However it should be noted that the districts that make up Surrey are very different in their make up and therefore direct comparison of casualty statistics should be carried out with caution. For example, since Epsom and Ewell is the smallest borough in Surrey with no motorways or trunk roads, its low overall casualty rate would be expected. 77 Surrey County Council, (2008), Safety Engineering Team Issue No. 1 Page 53 of 162 Document No. 3368/TS6/Doc_01
7.2. Killed Or Seriously Injured 1200 Measured Results 1000 Target Trajectory Number of KSI 800 600 400 200 0 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 Year Figure 7.2: Total number of people KSI in Surrey, 1995-2007 78 NB Target was revised in 2005. In 2007, 10% of all injuries in Surrey resulted in death or serious injury. The total number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) fell by 1%, compared with the previous year. Figure 7.2 shows that there has been a general decrease of 36.8% of people KSI in 2007 compared to the 1994-1998 baseline average (932 people). This decrease is greater than the national decrease of 35.2%, and the South East decrease of 25.7% 79. The original Surrey target was a 29% reduction in casualties by 2006 (corresponding to the national target of a 40% reduction by 2010). This target has since been stretched through a Local Public Service Agreement (LPSA) so that a 53% reduction is to be achieved by 2008. 80 In light of the figures mentioned above, Surrey s KSI casualty reduction performance is on course to achieve the Government s target for 2010, but not Surrey County Council s target for 2008. 78 Surrey County Council (2008), Safety Engineering Team 79 Department for Transport (2008), Road Casualties Great Britain: 2007 80 Surrey County Council (2008), Safety Engineering Team Issue No. 1 Page 54 of 162 Document No. 3368/TS6/Doc_01
120 100 Measured Results Target Trajectory Number of Child KSI 80 60 40 20 0 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 Year Figure 7.3: Total Number of child KSI in Surrey, 1995-2007 81 Figure 7.3 shows that unlike all KSI, there has been a variation of both increases and decreases in child KSI during the period 1995-2005. The relatively low numbers of child KSIs are especially susceptible to random fluctuations that occur from year to year in road safety statistics. It should be noted that 2003 and 2006 were exceptional years given the low number of child KSI casualties when compared with other years. Child KSI in 2007 shows a 55.5% decrease when compared against the 1994-1998 baseline average. This can be compared favourably against the South East decrease of 48.6% and the national decrease of 54.9%. 82 The Surrey target is a 40% reduction in child casualties by 2007 (corresponding to the national target of a 50% reduction by 2010). This target has been achieved, and Surrey s Child KSI casualty reduction performance is on course to achieve the Government s target for 2010. 81 Surrey County Council (2008), Safety Engineering Team 82 Data extrapolated from the Department for Transport (2008), Road Casualties Great Britain: 2007 Issue No. 1 Page 55 of 162 Document No. 3368/TS6/Doc_01
Altogether, these figures highlight the significant progress made in Surrey towards the Government's target of reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) in Great Britain in road accidents by 40% by 2010 compared with the baseline average for 1994-1998. For more information about road accidents and casualties in Surrey please visit the following website: http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/roadsafety Issue No. 1 Page 56 of 162 Document No. 3368/TS6/Doc_01