Wales is to pursue the Safe System approach in an aim for Vision Zero.

The Welsh Government made the pledge just before the Christmas  break.

Saving lives

Lee Waters, deputy minister for climate change, made the new road safety pledge in a written statement.

He says improving road safety “will not only help to reduce the number of people who are seriously injured and killed on our roads every year, but it will also help to encourage more people to cycle or walk, instead of using the car for shorter journeys”.

Evolution

The new strategy promises to include new ways of thinking about and understanding of road safety. It intends to incorporate the latest international thinking.

A significant part of his will be the Safe System approach and Vision Zero.

This announcement followed the publication of a report into the existing Road Safety Framework in Wales. This plan covered the period 2013-2020 and looked at the results, improvements achieved and the potential steps for the future.

It concluded that the new strategy should build on the successful collaboration between Welsh Government, local authorities, the police, Public Health Wales and other road safety stakeholders.

The report says it should also shape road safety around currently planned changes including the introduction of a new 20mph default speed limit on restricted roads. There is also the  restriction on pavement parking and introduction of  50mph speed limits in five locations to reduce pollution.