Elections

« Back to list of all 6 questions for this election

Question 1 - we asked:

We are joining the Action Vision Zero alliance in calling for Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) candidates to commit to:
1) Make road danger reduction a priority
2) Tackle speeding—the greatest threat
3) Be transparent and accountable
4) Work with your community
5) Improve the post-crash response.
What action will you take to tackle road danger?

We asked this question:

3 of the 4 candidates (75%) who were asked this question responded as below.

Those candidate(s) which were elected are highlighted.

Darryl PRESTON
(Conservative Party)

I am fully committed to Action Vision Zero and is part of my six point plan to keep Cambs and Peterborough safe;

Safer roads
Part of Darryl Preston’ six-point plan to #GetCrimeCut in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Safer roads – by investing in better policing of our roads, we can reduce injuries and catch those who are breaking the law.
________________________________________

36 people were killed on Cambridgeshire and Peterborough roads in 2019 and nearly 400 seriously injured.* Having had to deal with fatal road collisions when I was a police officer, I am acutely aware of the devastating impact this has on families, friends and local communities.

Indeed, I dealt with far too many serious injury and fatal incidents on our roads – and having to deliver that message to loved ones was, for me, the hardest job in policing.

They used to be called road traffic accidents – but of course most are not: they are avoidable by all of us taking personal responsibility and driving safely. Please see my article Speed is a choice – why Road Safety Week matters for some ideas on how to drive within the speed limit.

Partnership working is the key
to tackling speeding and road fatalities
I fully support the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Road Safety Partnership's radical Vision Zero Partnership, launched last July, to reduce deaths and serious injury on our roads in the next twenty years.

It is clear we need better preventative actions. We need to be more data lead and utilise the information we collate from accidents to inform our decisions.

At the same time, we need to continue surveying our roads, making sure they are safe through technical solutions such as speed reduction and better road design.

I know that Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council are working very hard on this. They have my full support and I am determined to make sure we achieve zero deaths and serious injuries by 2040.

Listening to local concerns
Not only will I be working with all the partners involved in this initiative but I will also be listening to what residents have to say. People know their communities better than anyone and I will put forward their ideas:

• Campaigns to reduce speeding, dangerous and drink/drugs driving
• Investment in technical solutions such as cameras and speed warning signs.
• Investment in physical traffic calming measures such as speed humps and 'gateways', which are particularly effective in villages.
• And, in consultation with local communities, reducing speed limits in residential areas to 20 mph where there is a good case to do so.

However, we do need robust enforcement of our road traffic laws by the police – catching those who break the law and deterring others.

Road safety really matters to me
My plan if elected, is:

1. Lead and support the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Road Safety Partnership.

2. Ensure more police officers are on our streets – making resources available to the Chief Constable to increase the numbers of road policing officers along with more local police officers to deter and enforce the law

3. Drive the use of innovative technology, data analysis and artificial intelligence to prevent accidents from happening

4. Listen to local communities and support local campaigns to reduce speeding and dangerous parking. I will work with local authorities to make funds available for preventative local solutions such as traffic calming where appropriate

5. Support the lowering of speed limits in residential areas but also in between villages where there is a good case to do so and is supported by local residents.

6. Progress the Vision Zero initiative by putting in place a clear plan and strategy.

* Source [2019 RTAs]
https://www.cambstimes.co.uk/news/cambridgeshire-police-reveal-road-deaths-are-on-the-increase-4911628

Nicky MASSEY
(Labour Party)

Between January 2019-November2019 There were 1468 road accidents recorded (according to Office of national statistics) and sadly 24 deaths. We know some small accidents may not be recorded and so the true number of accidents on our roads will be much higher.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough does have vision zero road safety partnership with a vision of having no deaths or serious injuries on our roads by 2030. I would argue that though its great having a target it feels like a tick box exercise, we need to Vision Zero to be looking at preventing deaths and serious injuries from NOW so I remove the target and rebrand as Vision Zero NOW.

Vision Zero and it’s work needs to be looking at how road design has an impact on drivers such as speeding and what interventions can be done NOW to make roads safer.

We need to be gathering and looking at near miss data and information from our communities in order to prevent some of these accidents from happening before any accidents are recorded, as well as looking at accident hot spots before a death occurs.

We need to lower speeds in urban areas. We need to look at changes to road design which has been successfully done Helsinki and Oslo who have managed to cut pedestrian deaths to zero by implementing changes to road design. There have been great schemes in the past led by charity Sustrans where streets have been changed to slow down drivers and create a more of friendly street scene, that shows you "people live here". It doesn't have to cost lost of money, the evidence is there. Lets save lives.https://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-blog/projects/2019/london/community-led-design-in-marks-gate/

Rupert MOSS-ECCARDT
(Liberal Democrat)

The whole Vision Zero approach must be followed. It isn't just the steps but also the belief that it is not inevitable that people will be killed or seriously injured within the road system. And, indeed, we must aim for the sort of safety case that we have on the railways. Not only does that reduce road danger but also resets the balance of costs (in all its meanings) of transportation systems.

I embrace the vision but I will take concrete action.

With the government providing more police officers I will target some to the "Roads Policing Unit". As I've said above, if we make the roads safer for cyclists, then we'll increase ridership making roads safer for us all.
I will reinvigorate the Road Safety Partnership with resources but also a sense of urgency.
I will work with all agencies and other groups to amplify our efforts by working together and not being precious about jurisdiction.
Support and reinforce community schemes like Speedwatch and LorryWatch to enable communities to help themselves.
I will press for investigation of any serious incidents, not just fatal collisions, to learn how to improve matters. I will protect officers from being hurried by impatient drivers when gathering evidence.
Where road design contributed to a collision I will press for a redesign.
Above all, to develop a culture where no-one accepts death or serious injury as "one of those thigns"

Camcycle is a non-partisan body. All candidates are given an equal opportunity to submit their views. Information published by Camcycle (Cambridge Cycling Campaign), The Bike Depot, 140 Cowley Road, Cambridge, CB4 0DL.