'Vision Zero' Road Safety Strategy 2024 to 2035

Surrey County Council's Vision Zero Road Safety Strategy was approved by Cabinet on 23 July 2024 and then subsequently by the Surrey RoadSafe board.

Foreword

As the Cabinet Member with responsibility for road safety, I am acutely aware of the impact that road collisions and personal injuries have on individuals, families and local communities. One life lost on our roads is one too many. Our aim is for all deaths and serious injuries from road collisions to be eliminated, something I am sure all our residents would agree with.

Surrey County Council continues to make road safety a top priority, with significant progress and investment already in place right across Surrey. However, with an average of between 20 and 30 fatalities on Surrey's roads in recent years, as well as many hundreds of serious injuries, more needs to be done to reduce death and serious injury on our roads.

I am therefore delighted to endorse this new Surrey RoadSafe Road Safety Strategy that has 'Vision Zero' at its heart. This new strategy aims to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. We will deliver on this ambition by working collaboratively with the police, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Surrey Fire and Rescue and National Highways, with our collective work focussed through Surrey RoadSafe.

Road safety, including the speed of traffic, is often raised by residents as a matter of concern. My aim is to ensure that Surrey County Council does all that it can to make the roads, streets, towns and villages of Surrey safer for everyone, be they walking, wheeling, cycling or driving.

Matt Furniss
Cabinet Member for Transport and Infrastructure
Surrey County Council

Introduction

1.1

Road collisions resulting in death or injury have a devastating impact on victims, families, friends and co-workers. As well as the pain, grief and suffering endured by those directly associated with road collisions, the fear of road danger affects whole communities. Busy roads carrying fast moving motor vehicles can deter people from walking, push scooting or cycling for local journeys, travelling to and from school or work, and can make places less pleasant to live and visit. The most vulnerable in society such as children, older people and those with disabilities can be the most adversely affected by the consequences of collisions and the fear of road danger.

1.2

Throughout the world and across the UK, governments, local authorities, and police forces are adopting the latest best practice Vision Zero and Safe Systems approach to road safety. Understanding that Surrey has its own unique qualities and concerns, this best practice approach will be adapted to Surrey's needs, and considered alongside the recent update to the Highway Code and Surrey County Council's Local Transport Plan 4. In doing so, we will prioritise the needs of all road type users, specifically those walking, wheeling and cycling. This will improve road safety, support active travel, and will protect the most vulnerable so that no-one is left behind.

1.3

The trend in fatal and serious collisions has not reduced in Surrey over recent years, and our previous road safety strategy has expired. Therefore, the Surrey RoadSafe partnership consisting of Surrey County Council (including Surrey Fire and Rescue Service), Surrey Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey, and National Highways have collaborated to develop our new strategy presented here. Our vision is for there to be zero fatalities or serious injuries on Surrey's roads by 2050. To work toward this 2050 vision, we have set a new target to reduce fatal and serious road casualties by 50% by 2035 (compared with a combined 2019 and 2022 baseline average). This target will be challenging for us to meet, so to be successful we will need to work together even more effectively, do some things differently, do more of the things we know that work and if necessary, implement new initiatives. It will be vital for this to be underpinned by effective data analysis and research. The strategy presented here describes how we intend to do this.

Our vision is to have zero fatalities or serious injuries on Surrey's roads by 2050.

Links to key policies and corporate objectives

2.1

Resources devoted to the enforcement of road traffic law to improve road safety will contribute to the objectives of the Police and Crime Plan for Surrey to tackle crime, deny criminals the use of the road and help our communities to feel safe and confident when travelling on our roads.

2.2

Improving road safety and enhancing residents' confidence to walk, wheel or cycle (including school journeys) will contribute to the objectives of Surrey County Council's Local Transport Plan 4 and contribute to National Highway's Strategic Plan vision of connecting the country safely and reliably by reducing the congestion associated with road collisions. It will also reduce carbon emissions, air and noise pollution, thus supporting the objectives of Surrey's Climate Change Strategy. It will improve the health and wellbeing of people living in Surrey and using Surrey's roads thus supporting the objectives of Surrey's Health and Wellbeing Strategy for improving community safety.

This will improve the health and wellbeing of people living in Surrey.

What is Vision Zero?

3.1

The Vision Zero and Safe Systems approach derives from the Stockholm Declaration which was the culmination of the Third Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in 2020. It is now being adopted by governments, local authorities and police throughout the world as the best practice approach to road safety and reducing road casualties. A Safe System approach puts people at its centre, coming from the belief that every road death or serious injury is preventable. It is built upon these main principles:

• Death and serious injury from road collisions is unacceptable.
• Human beings make mistakes that lead to road collisions.
• The human body by nature has a limited ability to sustain collision forces with known tolerance to injury thresholds
• It is a shared responsibility between stakeholders (road users, road managers, vehicle manufacturers, etc.) to take appropriate actions to ensure that road collisions do not lead to serious or fatal injuries.
• The approach is proactive, not reactive.

3.2

A Safe System approach has five multi-disciplinary components that interact and work together to minimise risk, namely:

• Safe speed
• Safe road users and behaviour
• Safe roads and streets
• Safe vehicles
• Post collision response

3.3

The Surrey RoadSafe Vision Zero Road Safety Strategy adopts the five components in the Safe System approach. It has been developed collaboratively by the organisations in the partnership who are responsible for improving road safety in Surrey. The work under these components will be underpinned by data, research evidence and evaluation so we know what is working and what we need to do to reduce road casualties.

A Safe System approach puts people at its centre.

Data insights and target setting

Headline trends in road casualties

4.1

It can be seen from Chart 1 below that in recent years since 2015, the annual number of fatal collisions in Surrey has fluctuated between 24 and 36. This is roughly half the annual total that there used to be in the years 2000 to 2007 when the annual number fluctuated between 73 and 52. While this reduction over the longer term is welcome, in recent years the ongoing reduction in fatal casualties has stalled. There is a similar pattern in the data for Great Britain as a whole.

Chart 1: Trend in fatal road casualties in Surrey

4.2

Chart 2 below shows the fatal and serious injuries combined. There has not been a reduction in serious injury casualties over the longer term, and in recent years there have been increases. It is important to note that the reason for some of the increases in recent years is due in large part to the adoption of a new injury-based data reporting system by the police and the roll out of mobile data portals used by police officers to record the details of a collision rather than a desk-based form. This has resulted in several injuries that would have previously been recorded as slight now being recorded as serious.

This is confirmed by the data in Chart 3 which shows that there is an ongoing long-term downward trend in the total number of casualties, despite the increases in serious injuries in some of the recent years. For example, there was an increase of 70% in the combined total of fatal and serious injuries between 2017 and 2018 when the recording system was altered, while the total number of casualties continued to decrease.

4.3

The trend in road casualties in 2020 and 2021 was also affected by the impact of COVID restrictions resulting in far fewer motor vehicle journeys and changes in the patterns and volume of walking and cycling. The years 2019 and 2022 are therefore more likely to be representative of the typical number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) annually in Surrey.

Chart 2: Trend in fatal and serious road casualties (combined) in Surrey

Chart 3: Trend in total road casualties (fatal, serious and slight injury casualties combined) in Surrey

Target setting

4.4

The Stockholm Declaration calls for a 50% reduction in deaths and injuries from 2020 to 2030 as a milestone towards Vision Zero (no deaths or serious injuries) by 2050. Chart 4 below shows how we propose to apply a similar target in Surrey using a baseline average for the years 2019 and 2022 for the number of Killed or Seriously Injured (KSI) casualties. We have selected these two years for the baseline because they are more likely to represent the typical annual number of KSIs in Surrey as these years were unaffected by COVID (unlike 2020 and 2021) and were less affected by the change in the police reporting system (unlike 2018). We have also set the year 2035 as the target year because by the time this strategy is published in 2024, we will be several years into the current decade already.

Chart 4: Target for 50% reduction in Killed or Seriously Injured casualties (KSIs) by 2035, from baseline average of 2019 and 2022

The target is to reduce KSIs by 50% by 2035. This is shown in the graph above using the baseline average from 2019 and 2022 (749.5 KSIs) to indicate the target in 2035 of 374.8 KSIs. The yellow line indicates the target line.

The Surrey RoadSafe target

A 50% reduction in KSIs by 2035 (compared to a baseline average of 2019 and 2022). This means we are aiming for a reduction from 758 to 375 KSIs by 2035.

Detailed data analysis and monitoring

4.5

The five components of the 'Safe System' approach and the interventions that Surrey RoadSafe will undertake will need to be underpinned by detailed analysis of road traffic collisions to inform upon the nature and extent of road casualties in Surrey. Our interventions will be evaluated and/or based on national or international best practice, evidence and research so we know what is working and what we need to do to reduce road casualties.

4.6

For example, more detailed analysis has revealed that Surrey has some of the highest numbers of pedestrian and cycling road casualties of any local authority in Great Britain, with most of these resulting from collisions with motor vehicles in urban 30 mph speed limit areas. In 2022, nearly half of all Surrey's road casualties (49%) were located on 30 mph speed limit roads (most of which are in built up areas). Also, 81% of pedestrian casualties took place on 30 mph speed limit roads with nearly all involving collision with a motor vehicle. Similarly, 69% of cycling casualties took place on 30 mph speed limit roads, with 79% of these resulting from collisions with a motor vehicle. It is also notable that about half of Surrey's KSI casualties live in postcodes outside of Surrey.

We will develop summary data reports and factsheets that will be updated on a periodic basis covering a range of topics including, but not limited to the following:

• Monitoring progress towards the 2035 target, identify what is working, and what we need to do to meet it.
• By severity (for example fatal, serious, slight).
• By road user type (for example pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, drivers).
• By demographic (for example older road users, young drivers, children).
• By 'Fatal Five' (drink and drug driving, speed, mobile phone, seatbelts, careless driving).
• By each of the 'Safe Systems' components.
• Comparison with Great Britain and other local authorities.

Working together

5.1

The organisations involved in the delivery of road safety interventions within Surrey that have developed this strategy are:

• Surrey County Council
• Surrey Police
• Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner
• Surrey Fire and Rescue Service
• National Highways (who look after the strategic road network of motorways and trunk roads)

5.2

For our organisations to work together effectively we need a clear decision-making process and defined responsibilities. The aim will be for the Surrey RoadSafe to be able to take decisions in an agile and timely manner so that we can take advantage of new opportunities and encourage innovation in response to road safety problems on our road network. Surrey's Police and Crime Commissioner has recently become the national lead for road safety for the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, and Surrey's Chief Fire Officer has recently become the national lead for road safety for the National Fire Chiefs Council, so we have a unique opportunity to generate fresh impetus to delivering road safety improvements in Surrey.

5.3

We will renew meetings of a governance board with senior decision makers from each organisation to oversee the delivery of this strategy and casualty reduction progress. The board will be asked to approve a business and investment plan to support effective road safety interventions. The board will also be responsible for approving a communications plan for behaviour change road safety campaigns and publicity in support of the strategy.

5.4

We will renew meetings of a strategy and delivery group consisting of key colleagues in each organisation who are responsible for the day-to-day delivery of road safety interventions, services, and communications. This group will be responsible for developing and delivering the road safety interventions described within this strategy and for reporting progress, data and evaluation to the Governance Board.

5.5

We list all the activities being undertaken by the organisations to fulfil this strategy in Annex A showing which organisation is the main lead for each activity and what component of the 'Safe System' it will address.

We will renew Surrey RoadSafe by:

• Convening a new Surrey RoadSafe governance board of senior decision makers.
• Convening a new strategy and delivery group of key colleagues responsible for road safety in each organisation.
• Agreeing a new 'Memorandum of Understanding' and 'Terms of Reference' for the governance board and strategy and delivery group.
• Developing a new business and investment plan for approval by the Surrey RoadSafe governance board.
• Developing a new communications plan for approval by the Surrey RoadSafe governance board.

Highlights of the Surrey RoadSafe Vision Zero strategy

6.1

In the following sections we present the ambitions, activities and interventions we will undertake under each of five components of the Safe System. We highlight below some of the main elements of our strategy where we are embarking on new initiatives or where significant new investment has been allocated.

Strategy highlights

• A more flexible approach to 20 mph speed limits: We will not follow a blanket approach, and will instead only introduce more 20 mph limits after taking local people's views into account, focussing on town centres, residential areas and schools.
• Enhanced speed management: We will investment in more highway engineering, average and spot speed cameras to tackle the worst speeding and casualty routes.
• Review of rural speed limits: We will aim to review and replace all 60mph national speed limit roads in Surrey with new lower limits where appropriate, by 2028.
• Robustly target and enforce 'Fatal Five' offences: We will utilise an innovative and evidence-based approach with a back to basics focus by police officers alongside national operations.
• 3^rd party reporting using video submission: We will promote advice and guidance on how to submit quality footage to aid prosecutions.
• Road safety education in schools: This will include DriveFit pre-driver workshops throughout Surrey's sixth forms and colleges, road safety drama workshops in secondary schools, and Bikeability cycle training, and Feetfirst walking training in primary schools.
• Road safety outside schools: We will invest in more highway schemes outside schools to improve road safety and overcome barriers to active travel.
• Local cycling and walking infrastructure plans: We will develop LCWIPs to form the basis for bids to Active Travel England for new infrastructure to make walking and cycling safer and easier.
• Department for Transport Safer Roads Fund: A £1.8 million grant from the Department for Transport will be invested in measures to reduce the risk of collisions along the 8.4km route of the A25 between Dorking and Reigate.
• Media campaigns and publicity: We will renew the Surrey RoadSafe Communications Strategy that will establish our aims and objectives, principles, key messages and themes that will run throughout our work.

Safe speeds

Introduction

7.1

There is overwhelming research evidence that reducing vehicle speeds successfully will reduce the likelihood and severity of collisions. Slower motor vehicle speeds will support more walking, wheeling and cycling. This will make communities more pleasant places to live and will help sustain local shops and businesses. Concerns over vehicle speeds are frequently mentioned by Surrey's residents.

7.2

Our approach to Safer Speeds will focus on the following:

• Setting appropriate speed limits
• Improving compliance with existing speed limits

7.3

Our aim is to set speed limits that are successful in managing vehicle speeds and are appropriate for the main use of the road, considering especially the needs of vulnerable road users. The desire for lower speeds must be balanced against the need for reasonable journey times and the position of each road within the road network hierarchy.

7.4

We will renew our focus on improving compliance with existing speed limits through additional investment in speed management measures. These will include highway improvements such as traffic calming as well as average speed cameras, and spot speed cameras. This will be supported by enforcement operations, and media and publicity campaigns to set the expectation and social norm of safe driving within the speed limit, and in accordance with the road conditions.

Our ambition for safe speeds

• Our roads will have appropriate speed limits considering the road network hierarchy and the use of the road by vulnerable road users to support active travel.
• There will be a high level of compliance with existing speed limits.
• Surrey road users will understand the risks and implications of driving too fast and will therefore travel at appropriate speeds to the conditions and within posted speed limits.

Setting appropriate speed limits

7.5

20 mph speed limit policy: To realise our Vision Zero ambition, we will enhance our focus on reducing speeds in town centres, residential areas, and village centres, especially near schools, where the exposure to risk for people walking, push scooting, and cycling is greater. For example in 2022, nearly half of all Surrey's road casualties (49%) were located on 30 mph speed limit roads (most of which are in built up areas).

Also, Surrey has among the highest number of pedestrian and cyclist road casualties of any local authority, and it is notable that 81% of these pedestrian casualties took place on 30 mph speed limit roads, with nearly all involving collision with a motor vehicle. Similarly, 69% of cycling casualties took place on 30 mph speed limit roads, with 79% of these resulting from collisions with a motor vehicle.

7.6

Most leading international and national organisations that advocate for road safety, public health and tackling climate change also advocate for 20 mph speed limits in urban areas. This was also endorsed in the Stockholm Declaration. Therefore, Surrey County Council has reviewed their approach to implementing 20 mph speed limits and present a new policy in Annex B. The new policy very much aligns with new central government guidance on 20 mph speed limits that was updated as part of the Department for Transport's 'Plan for Drivers'.

7.7

The new policy provides a more flexible approach to implementing 20 mph speed limits. However, it does not advocate a blanket approach and recognises that some main roads outside of towns centres could remain at 30 mph. Lower speed limits will be introduced incrementally and will not be imposed on communities. Instead, Surrey County Council will take extra care to consider the views of local people and police before deciding whether to proceed or not. The policy also requires that additional supporting measures such as traffic calming will be required to ensure that the new 20 mph limit will be self-enforcing without the need for additional police enforcement if the existing speeds are very much higher than 20 mph.

7.8

Rural speed limit review: The national default speed limit on single carriageway rural roads (without street lighting) is 60 mph. This 60 mph default speed limit is inappropriate for most minor rural roads because driving at this speed on such narrow and winding country lanes would be dangerous. Surrey County Council has already embarked on a proactive, strategic review with the aim of replacing all the existing 60 mph national speed limits on rural roads with lower speed limits. The new lower limits are being set at a more appropriate level in keeping with the use and nature of the road and the speed at which most drivers are travelling at. The first of these were implemented in July 2023. Our aim will be for all existing national speed limits roads throughout Surrey to have been reviewed and new lower speed limits implemented where appropriate by the end of 2028.

Improving compliance with speed limits

7.9

Speed management plans: We will continue to maintain local speed management plans for each of Surrey's eleven Districts or Boroughs. This means that whenever there are concerns about speeding at any location, we will go and measure the vehicle speeds. The data on vehicle speeds will be reviewed alongside data on road collisions resulting in injury recorded by the police, to ascertain the extent and nature of the speeding and road safety problem at each site. Through Surrey RoadSafe, Surrey County Council and Surrey Police road safety specialists will meet to discuss and agree which sites need the most attention, and what the most appropriate intervention will be. A description of the types of intervention that we will use are described in Annex C.

7.10

In June 2022 the Surrey County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for Road Safety allocated a total of £3million to help tackle excessive vehicle speeds and road safety on Surrey's roads. This money is being invested in traffic calming, junction improvements, average speed cameras and spot speed cameras at the sites with the worst speeding and collisions, identified through the speed management plan process. We will continue to tackle the worst high priority speeding and casualty problem sites by implementing permanent solutions to improve compliance with the speed limit. This list will continue to be reviewed on an ongoing basis as new sites emerge as a high priority.

7.11

At the time of writing several schemes have already been implemented or are due to be implemented in the coming months, listed in Appendix D. Our approach will ensure that traffic calming and engineering measures are always considered first, and then speed cameras will only be considered if traffic calming or other engineering solutions are not viable.

7.12

Our work on improving compliance with the speed limit at specific locations through engineering or enforcement measures will be supplemented by media and publicity campaign work to maximise their impact. This will seek to highlight the risks and implications of driving too fast, both to the individual and the community.

7.13

As well as publishing speed camera enforcement data on the Surrey RoadSafe website (under construction), the Surrey RoadSafe Communications Team will also continue its role of sharing enforcement news/updates from Surrey Police Officers working within the Casualty Reduction and Vanguard Road Safety Teams on various social media platforms. This will highlight the need for safer speeds and reaffirm the message that speeding will not be tolerated.

7.14

Public engagement events will also be utilised to encourage behavioural change towards safer speeds and highlight the risks of speeding. We will also continue to support national campaigns focused on speed compliance, and will use data and detailed evaluation to improve our methods in the future.

We will set appropriate speed limits by:

• Surrey County Council adopting a new more flexible approach to 20 mph speed limits.
• Reviewing all 60 mph national speed limits on rural roads in Surrey and replacing them with a lower limit where appropriate by the end of 2028.

We will improve compliance with existing speed limits by:

• Maintaining speed management plans for all of Surrey's eleven districts or boroughs to identify and tackle the sites with the worst speeding and casualty problems.
• Targeting the top high-priority speeding and casualty problem sites that have been identified through the speed management plan process. The list will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.
• Undertake media and publicity campaign work to highlight the risks and implications of driving too fast.

Safe Road Users

Introduction

8.1

To realise our Vision Zero ambition, we will aim to have competent road users who abide by the rules of the recently updated Highway Code. All road users should behave with respect and courtesy towards other road users, with particular attention being paid to vulnerable road users such as people walking, wheeling, cycling or riding horses.

8.2

We will seek to achieve this through effective enforcement of road traffic law. This will be undertaken by specialist police teams dedicated to improving road safety, and effective processing of videos of offences submitted by road users using vehicle mounted or body worn cameras. Where appropriate errant motorists will be offered the opportunity to attend a rehabilitation course offered through the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme as an alternative to the usual fine and penalty points.

8.3

Education of young people as they start to become frequent road users as pedestrians, cyclists or motorists will also form an essential part of our approach. Each of our school-based road safety education and training courses are offered to different age groups so that children will have the opportunity for more road safety education and training every few years as they grow older.

8.4

We will produce a comprehensive road safety communications plan setting out how we will use media and publicity campaigns to highlight the need for safe driving and to highlight the consequences of not doing so. This will focus on the 'Fatal Five' behaviours that research has shown are most frequently associated with road traffic collisions and will dovetail with national road safety enforcement and communications campaigns. Care will be taken to use positively framed messaging rather than shock or fear as the latter has been shown to be ineffective in influencing behaviour.

Our ambition for safe road users

Road users will be competent, abide by the rules of the highway code, and will be safe and respectful, especially towards vulnerable road users.

Enforcement

8.5

Police road safety enforcement operations: Surrey Police will continue to follow the National Police Chiefs' Council operations campaign calendar. For every campaign the Surrey RoadSafe communications team will commission a period of media and publicity prior to, and alongside the enforcement. The campaign themes previously have included vulnerable road users and all "Fatal Five" offences (drink/drug driving, speeding, distracted driving, not wearing a seatbelt, and careless driving).

8.6

While all Surrey's police officers will contribute to enforcement of road traffic law to improve road safety, there are several teams in Surrey Police who have a dedicated remit to enforce road traffic law, improving road safety and reducing road casualties, described in Annex E. Some examples of the campaigns and activities that will be undertaken in Surrey include:

• Operation Limit is one of the longest running campaigns focussing on drink/drug driving, taking place for 5/6 weeks in the winter.
• Operation Downsway focuses on motorcycle safety with police officers targeting specific areas where they see an increase in motorcyclists between April and September. The police officers will educate and enforce specifically focusing on the antisocial use of all motor vehicles.
• Operation Close Pass focuses on vulnerable road users for example cyclists and horse riders. This operation involves plain clothed police officers riding a bicycle working together with nearby police officers who are notified if motorists drive too close to the cyclist or commit other motoring offences.
• Operation Tutelage is a national police-led operation working together with partners to reduce the impact of untaxed, uninsured, untraceable, and unsafe vehicles.
• Operation Tramline is a National Highways owned operation which Surrey Police support, approximately four times a year. Focussed on enforcing road safety by targeting drivers who are not in proper control of their vehicle on the strategic road network. As the "Tramline Truck" cab is much higher than a car, it gives the officers a clearer view down into vehicles and across to other drivers of larger Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs).

8.7

Enforcement campaigns will look to be supported via Surrey RoadSafe social media channels, to amplify the national and local messaging embedded within each campaign. The content related to these campaigns will emphasise the importance of safe and considerate road use and protecting all road users, as well as highlighting the consequences and penalties incurred should unsafe/dangerous practises be used on the road. Where appropriate, social media content will also look to share details of officer/vehicle stops made throughout each campaign, with the aim to promote police activities and increase public confidence in enforcement within local communities.

8.8

Third party reporting: Increasing numbers of road users are using vehicle mounted or body worn cameras. Surrey Police provide a process for road users to submit video footage of examples of alleged driving offences so, if necessary, the evidence can be used to pursue prosecutions. Guidance on what is needed and how to submit quality footage can be found here: Making a road traffic incident report | Surrey Police. We will ensure the promotion of this guidance with further information on Road Traffic Offences being accessible here: Driving offences | Surrey Police.

8.9

National Driver Offender Scheme courses: Surrey Police will continue to offer a range of courses through the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme. These are offered to motoring offenders if they are eligible instead of the usual fine and penalty points. The number of referrals will depend upon the amount of enforcement, the number of offences detected and how many motorists are eligible and decide to take up the offer of a course. The range and number of courses offered in Surrey are summarised below:

8.10

In addition to courses described above that are offered as an alternative to a fixed penalty and points, there are also courses offered as an alternative to non-endorsable offences show below:

Road safety education and training in primary schools

8.11

Feet First: Walking Training Surrey County Council offer Feet First: Walking Training to all Surrey's Primary Schools. It is aimed at year three children (aged 7-8), providing them with practical road safety skills and preparing them for independent travel. The scheme also promotes the benefits of travelling actively to school for personal health and wellbeing, and how walking helps to improve air quality and tackle climate change as an alternative to car travel for short journeys.

8.12

The service was first introduced during the 2021/22 academic year during which over 2,500 pupils were trained, with another 4,760 pupils being trained during the subsequent 2022/23 academic year. There are typically 13,500 young people in each of the year groups across Surrey's schools. Therefore, we will aim to expand so that this training is provided annually to 75% of the year group (approximately 10,000 children), by 2030, subject to funding.

8.13

We aspire to develop a further walking training extension course that will be targeted at year five pupils (aged 9-10) in preparation to moving up to year six when some children are allowed to walk to school without adult supervision and in preparation for the transition to secondary school.

8.14

Cycle training: Surrey County Council's cycle training team comprises 80 qualified cycling instructors supported by a small back office. The service delivers national standard cycle training across the county funded through a combination of local budget, fees and central government grants. This includes:

• Programme for schools: For Bikeability Level One, riders learn to control their cycles in a space away from traffic, such as a playground. Bikeability Level Two takes place on roads with moderate traffic. Learn To Ride helps provide access to Levels One and Two by helping children start from scratch. More recently, the service has introduced Independent Cycling to School courses, aimed at secondary students, and is based on gaining extra skills and route planning. The schools programme reaches around 11,000 children each year.
• Community cycle training: This is a developing area aimed at adults and families, with courses mainly run in the school holidays, with a range of family courses, adult beginner, adult refresher and adult town centre courses.

8.15

The Bikeability Trust (who administer government grants to local authorities for cycle training) have a set a new national target to reach 80% of the target population for Bikeability Level 2 by 2025. There are typically 13,500 young people in each of the year groups across Surrey's schools, so this new national target would require us to nearly double the current level of provision for this course, which would require recruitment and training of substantial numbers of new cycling instructors. Therefore, we will work with the Bikeability Trust to agree a plan for increasing our reach towards this target as soon as practical.

Education and training in secondary schools, sixth forms and colleges

8.16

Road safety drama workshops (ages 11 to 16): In previous years Surrey County Council offered two road safety drama workshops to all secondary schools across Surrey, funded by the previous road safety partnership. The first of these was disseminated to year seven (aged 11-12). This is the first year in secondary school when many students have recently become independent travellers and therefore are more prone to becoming injured while walking due to inexperience and risk taking. Another drama workshop was offered to year 11 students (aged 15-16) and focused on the fact that this is a year where students prepare for college, sixth form or work, and are therefore could be exposed to increased peer pressure and risk due to being the passenger of a new inexperienced driver or are starting to consider becoming a driver themselves.

8.17

At the time of writing, we are aware that the Department for Transport is working on a new 'Good Practice Guide for Road Safety Education' which we hope will be published soon. Therefore, we will review our workshops to ensure they still represent the latest best practice in accordance with the new guidance due to be published by the Department for Transport before recommissioning this intervention.

8.18

DriveFit (ages 16 to 18): Young drivers, aged 17 to 24, are more likely to be involved in a road traffic collision than most other age groups. Nationally, young people hold 8% of car driving licences, but account for 20% of those killed or seriously injured on the roads.

8.19

Therefore,during the academic year 2023/24 Surrey Fire and Rescue Service disseminated the brand new best practice intervention DriveFit throughout Surrey's sixth forms and colleges for the first time. This consists of a 40-minute film or series of shorter films delivered in the classroom followed by a 45-minute workshop. The film uses a talk show style interview format where expert guests provide information, demonstrations, and tips about how pre-drivers, learner and newly qualified drivers can best manage the learning-to-drive process as well as the risky driving behaviours associated with speeding, tiredness, mobile phone use and intoxicated driving. Surrey Fire and Rescue Service will aim to disseminate this intervention to as many sixth forms and colleges as possible every year.

BikeSafe

8.20

Surrey Police will continue to provide BikeSafe courses. This is a national, police run motorcycle initiative, aimed at working with motorcycle riders in a relaxed environment to raise awareness of the importance and value of progressing onto accredited post-test training. BikeSafe workshops involve an observed ride with a police-graded motorcyclist or approved BikeSafe observer covering rider attitude, systematic methods, collision causation, cornering, positioning, overtaking, observation, braking, hazard perception and use of gears. In 2023, there were ten workshops with 212 attendees for the public and a police staff workshop with 16 attendees. In addition to this, six sessions were held for Army, Navy and Air Force personnel with 52 attendees.

Powered two-wheeler interventions research

8.21

National Highways has commissioned a research project with the aim of improving understanding of motorcycle road safety risk and the interventions in place to address that risk in the Southeast Region. The results of this study were shared in November 2023 and will be used to consider whether there are additional interventions available that could be delivered in Surrey.

Media and publicity behaviour change campaigns

8.22

We will renew the Surrey RoadSafe Communications Strategy for 2024-26. This strategy will underpin every aspect of communications work within Surrey RoadSafe from public engagement events, supporting national police enforcement operations led by National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and National Roads Policing Operations Investigation and Intelligence (NRPOII), national media campaigns (e.g. Brake Road Safety Week, Department for Transport Think!, RoadPeace) and bespoke data-led campaigns focusing on vulnerable and priority road user groups, as well as other road safety concerns within Surrey. These campaigns will adopt the use of consistent messaging styles, using behavioural change techniques and educational principles to educate and engage with all road users effectively. They will then undergo thorough evaluation, with the aim to review and understand strengths of initiatives and lessons learned for future improvements within Surrey RoadSafe communication and engagement.

8.23

Surrey RoadSafe communications work will continue highlighting the risks and implications of committing the 'Fatal Five' offences that most frequently cause death and serious injuries on our roads, supporting the work of the Surrey Police Vanguard Road Safety team and Casualty Reduction officers:

• Distracted driving (driving while using a mobile phone or other device, eating, drinking or other activities that are taking the driver's attention from the road)
• Excessive and inappropriate speed (either exceeding the speed limit, or driving too fast for the conditions)
• Drink and drug driving (driving whilst over the prescribed limit of alcohol and drugs)
• Failing to wear a seatbelt (as a driver or passenger)
• Careless and inconsiderate driving (offences could include, driving whilst tired, driving too close to the vehicle in front, lane hogging, close passes of people cycling or riding horses)

We will improve road user skills and behaviour by:

• Continuing to provide comprehensive enforcement of road traffic laws following the NPCC campaign calendar and operations targeting the 'Fatal Five' by a range of police teams, supported by media and publicity.
• Provide additional advice and guidance on how to submit quality video footage to aid prosecutions of third-party reporting of traffic offences.
• Continuing to provide a range of National Driver Offender Rehabilitation courses in place of the usual penalty for a range of road traffic offences.
• Expanding Feet First Walking Training so that the training is provided to 75% of year three children (aged 7-8) annually (10,000 children) by 2030, subject to funding.
• Work with the Bikeability Trust to agree a plan for expanding Bikeability Level 2 courses so that the training is provided to 80% of children before they leave primary school.
• Review our secondary school-based road safety drama workshops in light of soon to be published government guidance.
• Offer DriveFIT pre-driver road safety education course across Surrey's Sixth Forms and Colleges.
• Continue to provide Bikesafe motorcycle training courses.

Safe roads and streets

Introduction

9.1

The Safe Systems approach asserts that it is the responsibility of highway engineers to design roads and streets to be as forgiving as possible to reduce the risk of collision, and to reduce the severity of the consequences when mistakes are made by road users.

9.2

In built up areas, Surrey County Council will aim to design streets to ensure lower speeds, providing safe crossing points and/or restraining motorised traffic where there are more people walking, wheeling and cycling in town centres, residential areas and near schools. Surrey County Council will seek opportunities to provide segregated cycling infrastructure or to integrate cycling into mixed traffic as safely as possible.

9.3

In rural areas, Surrey County Council will design roads to manage speeds to levels that will reduce the risk of collisions and the risk of serious injury in the event of collisions. We will aim to separate streams of traffic, delineate bends, and protect roadsides in case vehicles lose control. Junction layouts will be improved to be simple and easy to use with good visibility.

9.4

Effective highway maintenance by Surrey County Council will be vital to ensure enduring safety of road users.

Our ambition for safe roads and streets

Our roads and streets will be designed and well maintained so that they are more forgiving of mistakes made by road users as well as supporting active travel.

Road safety working groups

9.5

Surrey County Council's Road Safety Engineering Team will host Road Safety Working Group meetings every six months for each of Surrey's 11 Districts and Boroughs. The Surrey RoadSafe collision database will be interrogated to identify locations and routes where there have been greater numbers of personal injury collisions so that these will be tabled for discussion at the meetings. The data will be analysed to highlight any patterns in the collisions that could be tackled by Safe Systems highway improvements or enforcement. The meetings will include Police and County Council road safety and highway specialists so that the results of the collision data analysis will be combined with local knowledge and site visits.

9.6

Through this process we will invest an annual budget (currently £200,000) in low-cost highway improvement schemes with the greatest potential to reduce collisions at the worst collision hotspots throughout the county. Examples include signing to highlight the presence of bends, kerb realignment, traffic calming, anti-skid road surfacing. In the past this has resulted in typically 20 schemes being delivered each year that reduce collisions by 30 percent on average at the treated sites.

9.7

We will also consider opportunities to invest in more substantial schemes using the additional £3million to help tackle excessive vehicle speeds and road safety on Surrey's roads that was announced by the County Council Cabinet member in July 2022. These are listed in Annex D. Further schemes might be possible by making them a condition of planning consent for developers, through bids to Surrey's Boroughs and Districts for Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding, or as part of larger major schemes funded by central government.

Road safety outside schools schemes

9.8

Surrey County Council has a "Road Safety Outside Schools" policy, which sets out a process to investigate concerns over road safety or barriers to walking, wheeling, push scooting or cycling on the roads in the vicinity of schools. At the time of writing, there have been visits to over 160 school sites (there are approximately 500 schools in Surrey in total) resulting in suggestions for highway improvements at over 50 schools. The assessments are ongoing with new schemes being conceived on an ongoing basis.

9.9

Additional funding of £1million per year for three years was announced by the County Cabinet Member in July 2022 for investment in these schemes. Further schemes are being implemented using CIL funding and from funding allocated by local members. The schemes include signalised crossings, zebra crossings, traffic calming, footway widening and parking controls. This investment will also be used to implement Surrey's first pilot 'School Street' during the academic year 2024/2025.

A25 Dorking to Reigate Department for Transport Safer Roads Fund

9.10

The Department for Transport has provided a £1.8 million grant to reduce the risk of collisions resulting in injury (especially fatal or serious injury) along the 8.4km route of the A25 between Dorking and Reigate. The proposals seek to address deficiencies in the safety 'star-rating' of the highway infrastructure using the iRAP assessment process provided by the Road Safety Foundation. The scheme consists of the following main elements that will be implemented by the end of the financial year 2024/25:

• Speed management measure including average speed cameras and a new lower 30 mph speed limit in Dorking.
• Improvements for pedestrians and cyclists within Dorking and Reigate.
• An improvement to the junction with Brockham Lane.
• Protecting roadsides using raised-rib edge of carriageway line markings, and high containment kerbs.
• Central hatching to separate opposing flows of traffic to reduce the risk of head on collisions.

9.11

Surrey County Council's road safety engineering team undertake typically 200 road safety audits of highway schemes of various sizes each year and will continue to provide this service. A road safety audit is a systematic process for checking the road safety implications of highway improvements and new road schemes. The process is vital for ensuring that the risk of road collisions and their severity is minimised whenever a new road scheme is designed, built, and comes into use.

Healthy Streets for Surrey design guide

9.12

The Healthy Streets for Surrey design guide was published in May 2023 for developers to follow. We will use the guide to encourage developers to raise the standard of street design, creating streets which are safe, support active travel, green, beautiful and resilient.

Highway improvement programmes and maintenance

9.13

Surrey County Council has a range of highway improvement and maintenance programmes to meet the objectives of the County Council's Local Transport Plan 4 (to make journeys across the county easier, more predictable, and safer), summarised below:

9.14

Local cycling and walking infrastructure plans: Local cycling and walking infrastructure plans (LCWIPs) are ten-year plans for investing in walking and cycling. Surrey County Council is working on developing an LCWIP for all of Surrey's 11 District and Boroughs by the end of 2023. These plans will then form the basis for bidding for investment in infrastructure from Active Travel England. More information about our plans to improve walking and cycling.

9.15

Integrated transport schemes In February 2022 Surrey County Council Cabinet established an Integrated Transport Scheme (ITS) budget of £3million per year to allow county councillors to nominate highway improvements in their division in response to local concerns. More information on schemes to be delivered during 2024/25 can be found here: Countywide ITS Fund Cabinet Member Report - Sept 2023.pdf (surreycc.gov.uk) (PDF)

9.16

Local street improvements Surrey County Council is developing a programme of local street improvements. The aim is to plan, design and create safer, healthier, and more attractive local environments that encourage more walking, wheeling and riding and increase opportunities to live and work locally. Find out more about how we will be making improvements to streets in your area.

9.17

Major transport schemes Surrey County Council is working on several multi-million-pound major transport projects.

9.18

Maintenance of highway infrastructure: Surrey County Council is responsible for maintaining approximately 3,000 miles of roads, with 2 million trees on the highway network, 90,000 street and sign lights, and 1,800 bridges or structures carrying or crossing roads or rights of way. The county council is also responsible for maintaining drainage, maintaining and cutting verges, hedges and maintaining non-illuminated bollards and signs. Find out more about roadworks and maintenance.

We will make our roads and streets safer by:

• Hosting road safety working groups every six months for each of Surrey's districts and boroughs to identify and diagnose road safety problems, and develop solutions for the worst collision hot-spots throughout the county.
• Implementing low-cost highway improvement schemes with the greatest potential for reducing road collisions using an annual budget of £200,000.
• Implement a £3million programme of 'road safety outside school' infrastructure schemes to improve road safety and overcome barriers to more walking, wheeling, push scooting and cycling for school journeys.
• Implement the £1.8 million A25 Dorking to Reigate Department for Transport Safer Roads Fund Scheme by the end of the financial year 2024 to 2025.
• Continue to undertake road safety audits of all new highway schemes.
• Promote the use of the new 'Healthy Streets for Surrey' design guide by developers.
• Continue to implement highway improvement and maintenance programmes with the aim of making journeys across the county easier, more predictable and safer.

Safe vehicles

Introduction

10.1

As a result of improvements in design standards and advances in technology a range of secondary safety features have been introduced in vehicles to reduce the risk and severity of collisions. As well as improving the safety of vehicle occupants these advances have also helped to reduce the risk of injury to vulnerable road users that may be impacted by a collision.

10.2

It is essential that we ensure that vehicles that use Surrey's Road network meet the correct road safety and environmental standards. We will do this by educating drivers and businesses, so they know how to check and maintain their vehicles, and through enforcement of the correct standards.

Our ambition for safe vehicles

• Vehicles in Surrey will be well maintained and designed to reduce the harm to road users in the event of a collision.
• People and businesses using vehicles on Surrey's roads will know how to check and maintain their vehicles.
• More vehicles will pass the annual MOT test at first presentation.

Education

10.3

Surrey RoadSafe will use media and communications campaigns to educate drivers on the vehicle safety checks that they should be undertaking, and how to do them. For example, we will highlight additional vehicle checks that drivers should undertake during periods of bad weather. This will include public engagement events in collaboration with partner agencies.

10.4

We will promote the TyreSafe and Driving for Better Business initiatives that provide advice on checking and maintaining vehicles and vehicle fleets, and will signpost parents to guides on purchasing and fitting child car seats correctly.

Enforcement

10.5

All Surrey police officers have the capability and training to carry out safety checks on vehicles being used on the roads including checking tyres, lights and insurance. Such checks can be carried out as part of each officer's normal patrol duty or as part of specific road traffic operations.

10.6

Surrey Police's Vanguard Road Safety team, the Roads Policing unit and Surrey RoadSafe's casualty reduction officers have extra powers to immediately prohibit any vehicle presenting specific dangerous defects from being driven on a road. The Surrey RoadSafe social media channels will be used to highlight such cases to make road users aware of the enforcement taking place to act as a deterrent.

10.7

In addition to this, additional checks on goods vehicles can be facilitated through the Police Commercial Vehicle unit separately or in conjunction with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) at compliance check events at several sites in Surrey. These events will look at roadworthiness, load security, licensing, and driver hours.

We will improve the safety of vehicles by:

• Undertaking media and publicity campaigns to educate drivers on the vehicle safety checks that they should be undertaking, especially during bad weather.
• Undertake public engagement events to educate and show drivers how to undertake vehicle checks.
• Promoting the Tyre-Safe and Driving for Better Business initiatives and signposting parents to guides on buying an fitting child car seats correctly.
• Enforcement of correct vehicle maintenance and safety standards by Surrey Police officers, especially the specialist Vanguard Road Safety team, Roads Policing unit and Surrey RoadSafe's casualty reduction officers.
• Using the Surrey RoadSafe social media channels to highlight examples of enforcement of vehicles maintenance and safety issues, to educate and act as a deterrent to other motorists.

Post-collision response

Introduction

11.1

Once a collision has occurred, our strategy for improving our post-collision response focuses on the following main themes:

• Fast response
• Investigation
• Care for victims

Our ambition for post-collision response

• There will be a fast and effective multi-agency response to collisions.
• Fatal collisions and the most serious collisions are investigated in detail, and any findings acted on.
• Collision victims and their families are supported.

Fast response

11.2

Once a collision has occurred, getting to it quicky is vital to reduce the risk of death and to care for those seriously injured. We will use the methodology published by the National Fire Chiefs Council to identify locations of higher risk by type of road, so that the emergency services can ensure that they have the most appropriate resources in the right places to ensure a swift response.

11.3

We will also promote the use of the eCall crash notification scheme. This works by an eCall equipped car establishing a connection with the emergency services when it has been involved in a collision. The system can also be activated by pushing a button in the vehicle which can be used by the occupants or bystanders, even if it's the eCall system in an unaffected vehicle. This aids in alerting emergency services quickly even when the location is unknown, and drastically cuts response times.

11.4

After arriving at an incident Surrey Fire and Rescue Service will continue to use the latest technology and operational procedures to ensure a swift and safe extrication of a casualty.

11.5

We will undertake media and communications work to provide advice to drivers on what to do to allow emergency vehicles to pass by safely and efficiently. We will also provide advice to road users on what to do in the event of a collision before emergency services arrive.

Investigation

11.6

Surrey Police will undertake detailed investigation of fatal and very serious collisions. This will highlight any immediate need to rectify defects in the highway infrastructure that might have contributed to the incident. These will then be rectified urgently by Surrey County Council on local roads, or by National Highways on the strategic road network.

11.7

In the longer term more substantial highway safety schemes will be implemented if any fatal or serious collision is part of a pattern of similar incidents at the same location or on the same stretch of road through the Road Safety Working Group process described in section 9.

Care for victims

11.8

Road collisions resulting in death or injury have a devastating impact on victims, families, friends and co-workers. Surrey Police will supply a specifically trained and dedicated Family Liaison officer to all fatal road traffic collisions. This will provide support and guidance throughout all stages of an investigation including up to criminal trial and/or coronal inquest. We will provide information to bereaved families to highlight support that is available to them from organisations such as Brake and RoadPeace.

We will improve our post-collision response by:

• Undertaking risk assessment using the National Fire Chiefs' Council guidelines to identify locations of higher risk so that emergency services can ensure that they have the most appropriate resources in the right places.
• Promote the use of the eCall crash notification scheme.
• Fire and Rescue Service will continue to use the latest technology and operational procedures to ensure a swift and safe extrication of a casualty.
• Providing advice and information to motorists on how to let emergency vehicles pass by safely and efficiently.
• Providing advice to road users on what to do in the event of a collision before emergency services arrive.
• Surrey Police will investigate fatal and very serious collisions in detail. Any highway defects that might have contributed to any such incident will be rectified urgently.
• Surrey Police will supply a specifically trained and dedicated Family Liaison officer to all Fatal Road Traffic Collisions and will provide information to bereaved families on the support that might be available to them from organisations such as Brake and RoadPeace.

Annex A

Actions, roles and responsibilities

Listed below are Vision Zero actions and the organisations with responsibility for each. Please note The 'Safe System' is an approach to road safety management, based on the principle that our life and health should not be compromised by our need to travel. There are five pillars: Safe speeds, Safe road users, Safe roads and streets, Safe vehicles and Post-collision response.

Developing summary data reports and factsheets

Responsibility:
Surrey RoadSafe

'Safe System' component:
Safe speeds, Safe road users, Safe roads and streets, Safe vehicles, Post-collision response

Renewing Surrey RoadSafe

Responsibility:
Surrey RoadSafe, Surrey Police, Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner, Surrey County Council, Surrey Fire and Rescue, National Highways

'Safe System' component:
Safe speeds, Safe road users, Safe roads and streets, Safe vehicles, Post-collision response

Adopting a new more flexible approach to 20 mph speed limits

Responsibility:
Surrey County Council

'Safe System' component:
Safe speeds

Reviewing all 60 mph national speed limits on rural roads in Surrey and replacing them with a lower limit where appropriate by the end of 2028

Responsibility:
Surrey County Council

'Safe System' component:
Safe speeds

Maintaining speed management plans for all of Surrey's eleven Districts and Boroughs

Responsibility:
Surrey RoadSafe, Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner, Surrey County Council, National Highways

'Safe System' component:
Safe speeds

Targeting the top high priority speeding and casualty problem sites that have been identified through the speed management plan process

The list will be reviewed on an on-going basis.

Responsibility:
Surrey RoadSafe, Surrey Police, Surrey County Council

'Safe System' component:
Safe speeds, safe road users

Undertaking media and publicity campaign work to highlight the risks and implications of driving too fast

Responsibility:
Surrey RoadSafe

'Safe System' component:
Safe speeds, Safe road users

Continuing to provide comprehensive enforcement of road traffic laws following the NPCC campaign calendar and operations targeting the 'Fatal Five' by a range of police teams, supported by media and publicity

Responsibility:
Surrey RoadSafe, Surrey Police

'Safe System' component:
Safe speeds, Safe road users, Post-collision response

Providing additional advice and guidance on how to submit quality video footage to aid prosecutions of third-party reporting of traffic offences

Responsibility:
Surrey RoadSafe, Surrey Police.

'Safe System' component:
Safe road users

Continuing to provide a range of National Driver Offender Rehabilitation courses in place of the usual penalty for a range of road traffic offences

Responsibility:
Surrey RoadSafe, Surrey Police.

'Safe System' component:
Safe road users

Expanding Feet First Walking Training so that the training is provided to 75% of year three children (aged 7-8) annually (10,000 children) by 2030, subject to funding

Responsibility:
Surrey County Council

'Safe System' component:
Safe road users

Working with the Bikeability Trust to agree a plan for expanding Bikeability Level 2 courses so that the training is provided to 80% of children before they leave primary school

Responsibility:
Surrey County Council

'Safe System' component:
Safe road users

Reviewing our secondary school-based road safety drama workshops in light of soon to be published government guidance

Responsibility:
Surrey County Council

'Safe System' component:
Safe road users

Offering DriveFIT pre-driver road safety education course across Surrey's Sixth Forms and Colleges

Responsibility:
Surrey Fire and Rescue Service

'Safe System' component:
Safe road users

Continuing to provide Bikesafe motorcycle training courses

Responsibility:
Surrey Police

'Safe System' component:
Safe road users

Hosting road safety working groups every six months for each of Surrey's districts and boroughs to identify and diagnose road safety problems and develop solutions for the worst collision hotspots throughout the county

Responsibility:
Surrey County Council

'Safe System' component:
Safe roads and streets

Implementing low-cost highway improvement schemes with the greatest potential for reducing road collisions using an annual budget of £200,000

Responsibility:
Surrey County Council

'Safe System' component:
Safe roads and streets

Implementing a £3million programme of 'Road Safety Outside School' infrastructure schemes to improve road safety and overcome barriers to more walking, wheeling, push scooting and cycling for school journeys

Responsibility:
Surrey County Council

'Safe System' component:
Safe roads and streets

Implementing the £1.8 million A25 Dorking to Reigate Department for Transport Safer Roads Fund Scheme by the end of the financial year 2024/25

Responsibility:
Surrey County Council

'Safe System' component:
Safe roads and streets

Continuing to undertake road safety audits of all new highway schemes

Responsibility:
Surrey County Council

'Safe System' component:
Safe roads and streets

Promoting the use of the new Healthy Streets for Surrey design guide by developers

Responsibility:
Surrey County Council

'Safe System' component:
Safe roads and streets

Continuing to implement highway improvement and maintenance programmes with the aim of making journeys across the county easier, more predictable, and safer

Responsibility:
Surrey County Council

'Safe System' component:
Safe roads and streets

Undertaking media and publicity campaigns to educate drivers on the vehicle safety checks that they should be undertaking

Responsibility:
Surrey RoadSafe, National Highways

'Safe System' component:
Safe vehicles

Undertaking public engagement events to educate and show drivers how to undertake vehicle checks

Responsibility:
Surrey RoadSafe, National Highways

'Safe System' component:
Safe vehicles

Promoting the Tyre-Safe and Driving for Better Business initiatives and signposting parents to guides on buying and fitting child car seats correctly

Responsibility:
Surrey RoadSafe, National Highways

'Safe System' component:
Safe vehicles

Enforcing correct vehicle maintenance and safety standards by Surrey Police officers, especially the specialist Vanguard Road Safety Team, Roads Policing Unit and Surrey RoadSafe's Casualty Reduction Officers

Responsibility:
Surrey RoadSafe, National Highways

'Safe System' component:
Safe vehicles

Using the Surrey RoadSafe social media channels to highlight examples of enforcement of vehicles maintenance and safety issues, to educate and act as a deterrent to other motorists

Responsibility:
Surrey RoadSafe

'Safe System' component:
Safe vehicles

Promoting the use of the eCall crash notification scheme

Responsibility:
Surrey Fire and Rescue Service

'Safe System' component:
Post-collision response

Undertaking risk assessment using the National Fire Chiefs Council guidelines to identify locations of higher risk so that emergency services can ensure that they have the most appropriate resources in the right places

Responsibility:
Surrey Fire and Rescue Service

'Safe System' component:
Post-collision response

Continuing to use the latest technology and operational procedures to ensure a swift and safe extrication of a casualty

Responsibility:
Surrey Fire and Rescue Service

'Safe System' component:
Post-collision response

Providing advice and information to motorists on how to let emergency vehicles pass by safely and efficiently

Responsibility:
Surrey RoadSafe, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service

'Safe System' component:
Post-collision response

Providing advice to road users on what to do in the event of a collision before emergency services arrive

Responsibility:
Surrey RoadSafe, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service

'Safe System' component:
Post-collision response

Investigating fatal and very serious collisions in detail. Any highway defects that might have contributed to any such incident will be rectified urgently

Responsibility:
Surrey Police

'Safe System' component:
Post-collision response

Supplying a specifically trained and dedicated Family Liaison officer to all Fatal Road Traffic Collisions and providing information to bereaved families on the support that might be available to them from organisations such as Brake and RoadPeace

Responsibility:
Surrey Police

'Safe System' component:
Post-collision response

Annex B:

Surrey County Council's new approach to 20 mph limits

1. Overarching principles

1.1

We want to allow greater flexibility to implement 20 mph speed limits. The aim is to have a more flexible policy, (not a blanket approach), that will facilitate the implementation of 20 mph schemes focussing on Surrey's residential areas, town centres, village centres and near schools. This is because lower speeds (especially where there are more people walking, wheeling, and cycling) will provide a range of benefits including:

• Reduced risk and severity of collisions, especially for people walking, wheeling and cycling
• Making places easier and more pleasant to walk, wheel and cycle
• Reduced noise and air pollution

1.2

Our approach has been developed with consideration to the following principles:

• The views of local people should be gathered and presented to the local County Councillor whose approval will be required before proceeding.
• The police will always be consulted and their views considered carefully by Officers and the local County Councillor before deciding to proceed.
• We do not advocate a blanket approach and recognise that some main roads could remain at 30 mph.
• We will only implement 20 mph speed limits that are predominantly self-enforcing and therefore retain credibility with motorists. Therefore, if necessary, where existing speeds are higher, we will use highway engineering and traffic calming to get speeds down.
• There should be no expectation that the police would be required to provide additional enforcement across Surrey's road network over existing levels to make any new 20 mph limits work.
• Any new speed limit will be evaluated to check how successful it has been in reducing speeds, and if necessary further supporting measures will be considered to improve compliance.

1.3

The new policy very much aligns with new central government guidance on 20 mph speed limits contained within Circular 01/2013. This was updated in March 2024 as part of the Department for Transport's "Plan for Drivers". This update states the following:

Excerpt from Department for Transport circular 01/2013 (updated March 2024)

Traffic authorities should only consider 20 mph limits:

• over time
• with consideration of the safety case; and
• with local support on:
• Major streets where there are, or are likely to be, significant numbers of journeys on foot, and/or where pedal cycle movements are an important consideration, and this outweighs the disadvantage of longer journey times for motorised traffic
• Residential streets in cities, towns and villages, particularly where the streets are being used by people on foot and on bicycles, there is community support and the characteristics of the street are suitable

Where new speed limits are introduced, they should be in places where the majority of drivers will comply with them. General compliance needs to be achievable without an excessive reliance on enforcement.

2. Types of roads where 20 mph could be implemented

2.1

In urban areas (with a system of streetlighting) 20 mph speed limits could be considered for any road, though it is recognised that some primary streets (as defined by the Healthy Streets for Surrey design guide) could remain as 30 mph, and some cases 40 mph might remain appropriate for some main roads. High Streets, residential areas and the roads near schools are the locations where 20 mph speed limits would be particularly desirable to make it safer, easier, and more pleasant for people walking, wheeling or cycling.

2.2

Careful consideration should be given to providing consistency of speed limit over a wider area of similar roads, for example, it would not be cost effective to implement a 20 mph speed limit only on the road immediately outside a school if there are many similar adjoining roads in a residential area that children are travelling on to get to the school. Instead, consideration should be given to implementing the 20 mph speed limit on similar roads across the same residential area. This would depend on speed surveys to inform upon the viability of a wider 20 mph area, and will be decided on a case by case basis.

2.3

In rural villages, 20 mph speed limits could be considered for village centres. However, this might not be feasible for some more strategic roads that carry large volumes of traffic, especially heavier good vehicles, if the existing speeds are above 28 mph. This is because traffic calming would ordinarily be required to get the speeds down successfully, but traffic calming on strategic roads is not always acceptable, especially if there are residential properties nearby that could be affected by the noise and vibration caused by large numbers of larger vehicles traversing traffic calming features. It should not be expected that enforcement could be used instead to get the speeds down.

2.4

For some sites it might be helpful to consider a 'buffer' of 30 mph limit from a higher speed limit prior to the 20 mph speed limit. A 20 mph speed limit could be considered for rural narrow country lanes where the existing speeds are compliant with the thresholds described below.

3. Existing speed thresholds for new 20 mph speed limits

3.1

New 20 mph speed limits using signs alone will be allowable if the existing mean average speeds are 24 mph or less. This is because the implementation of the new lower limit is very likely to be successful in bringing speeds down to a level close to the new 20 mph limit.

3.2

If the existing mean average speeds are between 25 mph and 28 mph, then 'light touch' supporting measures will be required to ensure that vehicle speeds are reduced successfully. These could consist of (but not limited to), additional speed limit carriageway roundels, electronic vehicle activated signs and enhanced speed limit gateways. The combination of the new lower limit and the additional supporting measures are very likely to be successful in bringing speeds down to a level close to the new 20 mph limit.

3.3

If the existing mean average speeds are greater than 28 mph then physical engineering measures will be required to ensure that vehicle speeds are reduced successfully. These could consist of (but are not limited to), traffic calming in the form of humps, cushions, raised road tables, road narrowing, chicanes and priority give way pinch points. In some cases, a narrowing of the road using segregated cycle tracks could achieve the speed reduction required to support a new lower 20 mph speed limit.

4. Length of speed limit

4.1

Ordinarily the minimum length over which a speed limit should apply would be 600m. This is to ensure that there are not too many changes in speed limit over a short length of road that would otherwise be confusing to motorists when travelling through at faster speeds. However shorter stretches of 20 mph limit or 30 mph limit (to a minimum of 300m long), will be allowed because these changes in speed limit will be more obvious to motorists when travelling at lower speeds. This will provide greater flexibility to introduce shorter stretches of 20 mph or shorter "buffers" of 30 mph on the approach to new 20 mph limits from higher speed limits.

5. Speed surveys

5.1

Speed surveys will be required to assess the feasibility of implementing a new 20 mph speed limit on a road or a series of roads. Speed surveys might not be necessary on all the roads across a residential area if a smaller number of the faster roads can be selected as being representative of the area (if the threshold is met on the faster road, then it will certainly be met on the other similar slower roads). There might be some cul-de-sacs, narrower roads, and roads where there is extensive parking where the speeds might be obviously slower where additional surveys will not be necessary.

6. Consultation

6.1

We believe it is important that local people are fully aware of any proposals to introduce new 20 mph speed limits on the streets where they live. With any new speed limit there is a legal requirement to display notices on-street and in local newspapers to make people aware of the proposals so that they can provide comments. We will go over and above these legal minimum requirements and will use best practice techniques to ensure that local residents can have their say on proposals for 20 mph schemes, with the local County Councillor involved at all stages. As with all speed limit proposals the police will be consulted, and their views recorded and considered carefully before deciding whether to proceed or not. Our consultation and engagement for highway improvements and safety guide describes good practice that will be used to ensure all views on proposed changes receive due consideration.

6.2

Further details on the process we will use to consult on individual 20 mph schemes will be developed in due course to be consistent with expectations we are setting across other forms of engagement and will be developed taking into account the views of Partners. Options could include installing large temporary posters on the roads affected, through dissemination of information on the proposals through local social media, via schools if applicable, and through posting of leaflets to the properties fronting the affected roads. Local people will be able to provide comments via an online portal, or through posting their comments back to the County Council. For larger schemes consideration could be given to holding face to face public engagement events if desired by the County Councillor, and police road safety specialists would also be invited to attend.

7. Evaluation

7.1

Following the implementation of a new 20 mph speed limit, follow up surveys of speeds will be undertaken to check on the success of the scheme in reducing speeds at least three months after implementation. If the average mean speeds are not reduced to 24 mph or less, then further supporting measures should be considered to improve compliance with the speed limit. An alternative might be to return the speed limit back to the original level if the compliance is particularly bad, and if there is no desire for additional supporting measures such as traffic calming. There should be not expectation that the police will be able to provide additional enforcement to make a new speed limit work.

8. Exceptions

8.1

On occasion there may be some examples where there may be good reasons to implement a lower 20 mph speed limit that does not quite comply precisely with all the requirements described above. In such cases where Officers or the local County Councillor would like to apply an exception to the above rules, then the proposal can be submitted to the Cabinet Member responsible for road safety to take the final decision. The Cabinet Member will consider the views of Officers, the local County Councillor, and the police alongside the results of public consultation before deciding on the way forward.

9. Funding

9.1

Surrey County Council has a range of budgets and programmes of highway improvements that could be utilised for implementing new 20 mph speed limits:

• Central Road Safety Scheme budget
• Central Road Safety Outside Schools budget
• Funding from Active Travel England for cycling or walking schemes
• Integrated Transport Scheme budget for local county councillors to nominate highway improvement schemes in their division
• County councillor individual highway allocations
• Local Street Improvements programme
• Major transport schemes
• Funding from property developers as a condition of planning consent
• Community Infrastructure Levy

Annex C

Speed management measures

Traffic calming

These are measures designed to slow drivers down by physically restricting vehicles and making it uncomfortable for drivers and passengers if their vehicle is driven too fast.

Vertical traffic calming can consist of speed cushions, humps and raised road tables. Horizontal traffic calming can consist of road narrowing, priority give way pinch points and chicanes.

Traffic calming is very effective at reducing speeds in 30 mph or 20 mph speed limit areas but cannot be used on higher speed limit roads. Vertical traffic calming is not usually considered for more strategic routes with larger volumes of traffic and heavy goods vehicles where the road is close to residential properties because of the possibility of noise and vibration.

Traffic calming in a 30 mph speed limit has to be illuminated so as not to cause a hazard in itself at night-time. Traffic calming in a 20 mph zone does not need to be illuminated,

Permanent safety camera enforcement

Permanent safety cameras are considered at locations where there has been a long-term problem with drivers speeding that has not been possible to solve through other means, and where traffic calming measures are infeasible. There are several types of safety camera:

Average speed cameras are used to encourage compliance with the speed limit over a longer length of road. The cameras are deployed to measure the time at which a vehicle enters and exits a zone to work out the average speed. They are usually deployed at locations where there are few entry and exit points and no stop or give way lines within the zone.

Spot speed cameras are used to encourage compliance with the speed limit over a shorter stretch of road in the immediate vicinity of the camera. These are also used on sections of motorway in Surrey to provide enforcement of the variable speed limit and 'red x'.

Combined speed and red-light violation cameras are deployed at junctions where both speeding drivers and drivers failing to comply with red traffic signals are a problem.

The policy on the use of speed cameras (agreed by Surrey Police and Surrey County Council) was approved by Cabinet in September 2021 (PDF)

Police enforcement

Safety camera vans are used to deter speeding at sites that require regular enforcement, and where there is room at the side of the road to position the vehicle. Where there isn't room for a camera van, the police are able to provide enforcement using hand-held laser equipment.

Enforcement of speeding is also regularly undertaken via patrol cars, along with enforcement of other driving offences such as driving while under the influence of drink or drugs, careless or inconsiderate driving, dangerous driving, driving while using a mobile phone, and document offences. Enforcement is now also being undertaken via police officers using pedal cycles too.

Vehicle Activated Signs (VAS)

These are electronic signs that light up to warn drivers of hazards or to remind them of the speed limit if they are approaching too fast. As of 2023, there are approximately 650 VAS in Surrey including on the approach to almost all our speed cameras. Monitoring shows VAS helps drivers keep to the speed limit and this effect is on-going.

Community Speed Watch

This is a scheme managed by Surrey Police to allow volunteers to monitor the speed of passing vehicles using a hand-held speed detection device. The volunteers record the details of speeding vehicles, and then the police will issue a letter to the vehicle owner, advising them of the dangers of speeding, and reminding them of the law. Further action may be undertaken by the police for repeat offenders. Training and equipment are provided by the police who will also undertake an assessment of suitable locations for the volunteers to operate from.

Annex D

Priority schemes 2023 to 2025

Highway improvements

Schemes implemented in 2023

• B2032 Pebble Hill Road junction with Headley Common Road, Headley, junction improvement implemented in June 2023.
• A247 Clandon Road junction with A3 slip road, West Clandon, junction improvement implemented in February 2023.
• A31 Farnham Bypass speed limit reduction, Wrecclesham, implemented in July 2023.

Schemes implemented during the financial year 2023/24

• A2044 Woodhatch Road, Reigate, traffic calming scheme.
• D6362 Mustard Mill Road, Staines, traffic calming scheme.

Due for implementation in during financial year 2024/25

• B377 Feltham Road, Ashford, traffic calming scheme.
• Middle Street Brockham, traffic calming scheme.
• B2032 Outwood Lane, traffic calming scheme.
• A217 Brighton Road, Banstead – speed limit reduction (60 mph to 40 mph).
• B311 Red Road and B3015 The Maultway, Lightwater, speed limit reduction (50 mph to 40 mph).
• B2234 New Inn Lane, Park Lane, Merrow Lane, Guildford, speed limit reduction (various).
• A22 Caterham Bypass, speed limit reduction (various).
• B3001 Milford Road, Elstead, raised zebra crossing.
• B3001 Milford Road and Thursley Road, Elstead, development of a traffic calming scheme for implementation in future years subject to funding.
• Fairmile Lane, Cobham, development of a traffic calming scheme for implementation in future years subject to funding.

Safety camera schemes

Schemes implemented in 2023 or 2024

• A217 Dover's Green Road, near junction with Dover's West. Spot speed camera implemented in February 2023.
• A322 Bracknell Road junction with New Road, combined speed and red-light camera upgrade implemented in March 2024.

Due for completion during the first half of the financial year 2024/25

• B374 Brooklands Road, Weybridge. Average speed camera enforcement from Wellington Way to Hanger Hill.
• B374 Brooklands Road, Weybridge. Average speed camera enforcement from Wellington Way to Byfleet Road.
• A23 Horley Road, Earlswood. Spot speed camera enforcement adjacent to junction with Prince Albert Square.
• A25 Shere Road, Newlands Corner. Average speed camera enforcement from Newlands Corner to Sherbourne.
• B382 Old Woking Road, Sheerwater. Average speed camera enforcement from Pyrford Common Road to Sheerwater Road roundabout.
• A281 Birtley Road, Bramley. Average speed camera enforcement from Park Drive to southern 30 mph boundary.
• A308 Staines Road West junction with Chertsey Road, combined speed and red light camera upgrade.

Due for implementation during the second half of the financial year 2024/25

• A25 Reigate Road between Dorking and Reigate. Average speed camera enforcement of 40 mph limit (DfT Safer Roads Fund Scheme).
• A24 Horsham Road between Dorking and Beare Green. Average speed camera enforcement.
• A283 Petworth Road, Witley. Average speed camera enforcement from junction of A286 Haslemere Road to Chichester Hall.
• A283 Petworth Road, Chiddingfold. Average speed camera enforcement from near junction with Skinners Lane to near junction with Turners Mead.

Annex E

Police teams working on road safety

Surrey RoadSafe

Safety camera team: Responsible for the enforcement of speed, red-light and 'red x' offences recorded by static cameras across the county, as well as speed offences recorded by three Mobile Enforcement Officers. The team processes the offences and associated correspondence, prepares court files where necessary and includes specialist enquiry officers to investigate individuals who choose to frustrate or obstruct the process.

Divisional casualty reduction officers: Two police officers per division, provide a dedicated casualty reduction enforcement and education resource, capable of being tasked to support local neighbourhood command with casualty reduction initiatives and speed management plan sites.

Central casualty reduction officers: Focused on fatal five enforcement at mainly priority speed sites, identified from the speed management plan process. In addition, they also support the NPCC campaigns with targeted enforcement and engagement.

Mobile enforcement officers: Three police staff with designated powers operating speed detection equipment within a Mobile Enforcement Van. Strategically positioned at designated sites throughout Surrey which are collaboratively identified by Surrey Police and Surrey County Council from the speed management plan.

Surrey Police

All Surrey's police officers will contribute to enforcement of road traffic law to improve road safety. There are several teams in Surrey Police who have a dedicated remit to enforce road traffic law, improving road safety and reducing road casualties, described below.

Traffic Management officers: Have delegated authority to be the point of contact between National Highways, local authorities and divisions/districts regarding Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs), highway works, events, planning and new road schemes. They also provide appropriate advice and consultation at speed management plan meetings and road safety working group meetings.

Road Policing Unit (RPU): A collaborated function across both Surrey and Sussex Police areas. Their role has three core responsibilities: responding to emergencies on the road including killed or seriously injured (KSI) collisions, reducing killed or seriously injured collisions through 'Fatal Five' enforcement and tackling criminals using our roads. They provide the force's primary pursuit resolution capability and working alongside Tactical Firearms they are the forces primary capability to tackle organised crime group level criminality using the roads of Surrey. The Road Policing Unit has recently taken a lead role in introducing frequent proactive operations/ days of action across the force area to target the road traffic offences often linked to wider criminality. This aspect is key is a significant number of killed or seriously injured collisions are caused by criminals either carrying out serious offences or on their way to/from an offence. The RPU alongside Vanguard also provide the force a capability to tackle Anti-Social behaviour on our roads which in turn leads to killed or seriously injured collision reduction.

Vanguard Road Safety team: Two sergeants and ten police officers supported by a researcher to target the 'Fatal Five' offences which contribute to killed or seriously injured collisions. They do this by delivering additional traffic enforcement, targeting specific collision hotspot locations around the county and by targeting specific individuals where information or intelligence suggests their driving causes a risk of harm to themselves and/or others. In addition, they provide a dedicated provision to assist in addressing vehicular based antisocial crime.

Files available to download

• Surrey RoadSafe Vision Zero Road Safety Strategy and 20 mph Speed Limit Policy (PDF)
  Report on Surrey RoadSafe Vision Zero and 20mph Speed Limit Policy, approved by Surrey County Council Cabinet on 23 July 2024.