Commissioner pledges robust action to address public’s road safety concern

Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner Angelique Foster has outlined her commitment to helping make the county’s roads safer, announcing new plans to increase investment in community projects that reduce harm.

As the nation marks Road Safety Awareness Week, the Police and Crime Commissioner has set out her approach to tackling the Fatal Four (speeding, drugs/alcohol, wearing of seatbelts and use of mobile phones) and improving road safety for all in her Police and Crime Plan.

The Plan, due to be published in the forthcoming weeks, sets out a series of strategic policing priorities aimed at reducing crime and delivering the service and policing resources local people deserve. 

As part of her plans, Commissioner Angelique Foster has also announced her plans for a grant fund in the New Year to support groups trying to boost road safety in their communities.

Road safety features as one of six top strategic priorities.

The Plan outlines a series of points that Commissioner Angelique Foster will expect Derbyshire Constabulary to deliver in order to improve safety for all road users:

• A robust and efficiently-resourced roads policing unit
• Supporting the police to ensure pro-active speed enforcement activity is conducted on the road network
• A tough approach to dangerous driving
• Work to tackle the Fatal 4  
• Campaigns with key partners designed to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on Derbyshire’s road network
• Increase and support volunteer community Speedwatch to support the work of the police.
• Working with local partners to improve safety measures for vulnerable road users such as cyclists, pedestrians, horse riders and bikers 

Commissioner Angelique Foster said: “All of the priorities in my Police and Crime Plan reflect the views of Derby and Derbyshire residents. My job is to set policing priorities and hold Derbyshire Constabulary to account to deliver on those priorities. I will expect the Chief Constable to deliver improvements in the areas that matter most to our communities and residents. I will also support local communities to help improve safety.

“Road safety impacts all of us. People have told me they would like more support for Community Speedwatch groups and more resources to tackle speeding through villages and poor or dangerous driving. These issues can really affect everybody’s quality of life.

“In the New Year, I will be launching a new fund giving our communities more power and resources to take a proactive approach to road safety. Road Safety Week is a good reminder of the way communities can and have come together to address local problems and raise awareness of critical issues."

Road Safety Week is the UK’s biggest road safety event. 

This year’s event is built around the theme ‘Road Safety Heroes’ and celebrates the heroic work of road safety professionals as well as reminding everybody of their responsibilities to make journeys safer for everyone.