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Meeting notes: Merseyside Road Safety Partnership with Liverpool Pedestrians Association, 27 March 2018

Road safety meeting on 27 March 2018, 1 Mann Island

The format was that some questions were posed by Liverpool Pedestrians Association, with responses by Merseyside road Safety Partnership.

Present: Merseyside Road Safety Partnership (MRSP): Sean Traynor (ST), Rebecca Power (RP), Adam Bostock (AB)
Liverpool Pedestrians Association: Ian Campbell (IC), Derek Gould (DG)

1. Children are excluded from the So-Mo project to reduce pedestrian casualties
a. Who decided this?
The commission was made specifically under the Adult Pedestrians Thematic Group, thus the MRSP and Liverpool CC (as thematic lead) made this decision
b. When was it decided?
At the start of the project in September 2017
c. What was the reason?
The project was started under the Adult Pedestrian Casualties theme. There is also a Child Pedestrian Casualties theme lead by Knowsley Council (since mid-2017). The reason for separate groups is that they need different educational interventions.

MRSP has been looking at rankings for reported child pedestrian KSI rates, and has found Merseyside to be fifth from bottom. This a discrepancy from the second from bottom position in IC’s analysis, possibly due to slightly different denominators. This will be pursued in a separate meeting. RP, AB, IC, DG

2. The So-Mo project excludes measures that have been shown to be effective such as reduced speed limits, traffic calming, and reduced vehicle numbers, and includes only behaviour change measures (which have not been shown to be effective).
a. Who decided this?
ST: Engineering measures have not been excluded as So-Mo are not in the solutions stage at this point of the commission. IC: This is a contradiction of what was said at the 16 March meeting.
b. When was it decided? and c. What was the reason?
As (a)

3. In the view of the Road Safety Partnership, which parts of the world are best at protecting children from road danger? (We would say Sweden, the Netherlands and Norway.)
ST: Agrees with Sweden, the Netherlands and Norway, and would add Italy (because of its low casualties per million) but social inequalities affect how traffic injuries are distributed through society

4. In protecting Merseyside children from road danger, why is no progress being made in closing the gap between Merseyside and best practice ?
Between 2000 and 2010 child KSI’s reduced by more than 50% on Merseryside but child safety remains a priority area for the MRSP.

5. Is the MRSP aware that children do not have the cognitive skills to judge speeds over 20mph?
Yes. Our experience would support this latest research and of one of the reasons we do our fast lane sessions is to give pupils the opportunity to measure vehicle speeds, estimate them and discover how far out they were, and to estimate vehicle stopping distances (before learning correct distances).

6. What are the latest road safety figures and how are they being interpreted (deaths, KSIs, and deterrence of walking and cycling)?
Jane Kennedy has released to the press the unconfirmed figures for road casualties for 2017 (https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/devastating-figures-show-toll-tragedy-14428683).
There was a fall in reported KSIs from 599 to 541, and an increase in deaths from 18 to 22.
Agreed that the fall in unconfirmed KSIs is encouraging but not conclusive evidence of an improvement.
Walking and cycling figures: not discussed.

7. What is MRSP doing to protect children and other vulnerable road users from pavement parking?
The death of Esme Weir was discussed. IC will supply links to the Police website page and press release, and MRSP will help publicise. IC, RP
[Links are https://www.merseyside.police.uk/advice-and-protection/policing-the-roads/pavement-parking/
https://www.merseyside.police.uk/news/latest-news/2018/02/merseyside-police-highlight-risks-posed-by-pavement-parking/ ]
A6 cards and A4 posters can be supplied to the MRSP officer group by Paul Mountford.

Other points
Steve Rotheram / LCR will receive a £134M “Transforming Cities” grant over 4 years to 2021/22 (investment should be focused on improving public and sustainable transport, helping to reduce congestion and improve air quality).

Separately, LCR has allocated £25M for the Key Route Network (delivery via the boroughs and Merseytravel).

The LCR Combined Authority will take over the Key Route Network probably in circa 2020.

DONM
TBA

Notes by IC, agreed by ST 12.4.2018






Last updated: 25 May 2018