Lib Dems Back New Fund to Tackle County’s Road Safety Problems

Published on: 10 Feb, 2021
Updated on: 11 Feb, 2021

The Lib Dems on Surrey County Council are proposing a budget amendment to tackle road safety problems.

They want a Road Safety Fund to ensure communities can get the speed signs, crossings or other safety measures many residents call for. Where there is local support, 20mph zones could also be introduced.

The council’s local and joint committees receive regular petitions calling for junction improvements, cycle lanes and pedestrian crossings, but the council seems unable and unwilling to act on these.

Cllr Fiona White.

Lib Dem deputy group leader Cllr Fiona White (Guildford West) said: “All councillors have highway schemes suggested by residents that would improve road safety.

“Every year, the Guildford joint committee has to decide about a list of those schemes, knowing the money available will be enough for only a few of them.

“Examples are safe road crossings, reviewing speed limits and traffic-calming, including a pelican crossing outside St Joseph’s School in my own division.

“Also, it is clear most residents would like to see 20’s Plenty schemes in their neighbourhoods, such as those Cllr Angela Goodwin has been campaigning for but there is no money available for those either.

“I believe we should use council money to reflect residents’ wishes as far as possible. We have shown where the money can come from and I just hope the Conservative administration will accept our proposal.”

Cllr Matt Furniss

Matt Furniss (Con, Shalford), cabinet member for transport, said: “Road safety is a key priority and was recognised in our increased highways and transport budget announced last month.

“This contained an additional £13 million out of an additional £264 million on highways for local resident priority highway schemes over the next three years. These include traffic-calming initiatives, reviewing speed limits and installing more crossings.

“The funding will be provided to local and joint committees to allocate to priority road safety schemes which can make a difference in the local community. These projects are put forward by local residents for county and borough councillors to consider.

“For several years, the county council has allocated an annual capital budget of £200,000 for implementing road safety highway improvements.

“This money has been invested in highway improvements at the very worst collision hotspots where the greatest opportunity for casualty reduction exists.

“In a typical year, about 20 road safety highway improvement schemes are implemented, almost double what this amendment seeks to achieve.

“Our monitoring has demonstrated an average reduction of 30 to 40 per cent in the number of injury road collisions at the treated sites, which is really positive outcome for residents.”

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