Call for police action on 'appalling' road safety

Andrew Gant (left) sent a letter on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council to police and crime commissioner Matthew Barber

A council has called on police to take action to reduce the "appalling" number of serious crashes on its county's roads.

Oxfordshire County Council told Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Matthew Barber his force "appears to be behind" other authorities when it comes to tackling road safety.

In an open letter, transport cabinet member Andrew Gant, a Liberal Democrat, urged the Conservative PCC to "recognise the benefits of 20mph limits" and work with the authority to implement average speed cameras.

Mr Barber said police enforcement had increased and the average number of annual road deaths in the region had been decreasing in recent years.

The councillor's letter said there were 57 deaths and 934 serious injuries in the Thames Valley Police area in 2022.

"The number of incidents we are currently experiencing is appalling," said Mr Gant.

"Please take action against this rising wave of dangerous driving before we find even worse casualty impacts in 2024."

Mr Barber presented a graph with numbers of the killed and seriously injured (KSIs), showing the average for 2020 onwards has been 726

Mr Barber said road deaths across the Thames Valley had been "gradually reducing" and the average number of those killed and seriously injured for 2020 onwards had been 726.

He said this number was still "too many" but highlighted the force's "significant activity" to tackle offences such as speeding, drink and drugs, distraction, and not wearing a seatbelt.

"The number of road deaths nevertheless remains unacceptable, but it is important that we look at the causes and most effective mitigations," he said

In his letter responding to Mr Gant, the PCC said some of the recent deaths had been caused by medical issues, fallen trees and suicide.

"The loss of life is no less important in such circumstances, but these are cases in which police enforcement will have no influence," he said.

Mr Barber added he hoped road improvements could be part of the discussions with the council and welcomed talks about how speed cameras could be funded.