Mayor and Greater Manchester leaders endorse ambition to end road deaths

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has endorsed a plan for the city-region to eliminate road deaths by 2040.

The draft Vision Zero Strategy, part of a global effort to improve road safety, also sets out plans to halve the number of deaths and life changing injuries by the end of this decade.

Members of the public and stakeholders in the city-region’s road network will now get to have their say on the strategy by responding to an online survey which will become available in the coming weeks via the GM Consult platform. The Vision Zero Strategy Action Plan, informed by the strategy document, will also go out for public engagement in May for around two months, with a view to launch during Road Safety Week (18th to 24th November).

In the last ten years nearly 10,000 people who live in, work in or visit Greater Manchester have been killed or seriously injured on our roads. Between 2018 and 2022, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists accounted for nearly two thirds of those killed or seriously injured, while drivers and passengers made up 34% of casualties.

Development of Greater Manchester’s Vision Zero Strategy and Action Plan is being led by the Greater Manchester Safer Roads Partnership on behalf of the GMCA. Members of the partnership include Transport for Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, National Highways and the 10 Greater Manchester local authorities.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said:

“While there was a small decline in the number of people killed and seriously injured in 2022, much more needs to be done to make Greater Manchester’s roads a safer, healthier and more sustainable place for pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and motorists.

“Each of the 64 deaths in our city region in 2022 was preventable. They were people going about their daily lives, travelling to work, school or to see friends and family, only to never return home, and their deaths have a devastating impact for everyone involves as well as the wider community.

“I am delighted that this draft version of our Vision Zero Strategy has been backed by our leaders today, and I look forward to everyone getting to have their say on the next step in Greater Manchester’s mission to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads.”

Dame Sarah Storey, Active Travel Commissioner for Greater Manchester, said:

“I recommended the region work towards adopting Vision Zero because any death or serious injury on our roads is one too many. I’m pleased to see the progress that has gone into the draft that was adopted today which shows clear intention to work towards ending all road casualties by 2040.

“Every death or life-changing injury, has an immeasurable cost to family, friends and the community, and the cost of responding to and dealing with all casualty and injury collisions in Greater Manchester is estimated at £472m.

‘’Inaction is not an option we can live with, so I’m pleased that the GMCA has today reinforced that getting this right will require a collective effort and commitment from everyone, and I will support the continued development of this over the coming months before the official launch is possible.’’