Safety commissioner set to help cut road deaths

A volunteer commissioner is being appointed with the task of cutting deaths and serious injuries on the West Midlands' roads.

One of two posts to be filled early in the new year, the work will be part of daily work with councils, police and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) teams in address reckless driving, Mayor Richard Parker said.

"We need to change behaviours, we need to challenge those behaviours, arrest more people and have sentences recognising the seriousness of those crimes," he added.

Shivaji Shiva, a campaigner from Better Streets For Birmingham, said however: "I don't think the mayor is going far enough and people are going to continue to die."

Adverts for the road safety commissioner and active travel commissioner closed on 24 November.

Speaking to BBC Radio WM, Mr Parker outlined ongoing regional road safety work following the launch of an action plan last month.

He said he had listened to campaign groups and sought to address the "awful number of accidents".

Additional mobile and average speed cameras have been deployed, he explained.

"The police are focusing a lot more on those places where those incidents are more severe," Mr Parker said.

He and the region's police and crime commissioner have also written to the Home Secretary to request revenue from speeding fines are used to fund road safety improvements.

Neil, a caller on the WM programme from Bordesley Green, told him: "I was involved in an accident on the Coventry Road and it's just frightening to go out there on the roads now."

He encouraged the mayor to "get out there and look for himself" at motorists using the route "like a racetrack".

In response, Mr Parker said he was shocked and distressed by the tragic incidents taking place across the region.

Mr Parker is in the process of appointing candidates to the two positions - attracting funding of a combined £10,000 a year - but their broad remit has been criticised by campaigners.

Mr Shiva said: "We've got two volunteer commissioners on modest honoraria as opposed to the previous salaried post.

"We've got a mayor who's still talking about accidents on our streets when we know they are anything but accidents.

"We need to do more to deliver the infrastructure projects across the region where the WMCA can work with the city councils to alter the way our streets are managed."

Mr Parker said the WMCA spent £71m a year on active travel and road safety.

"I want my commissioner to help me deploy that by working with others and that is what they will do," he added.

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