Warnings of return to pre-Covid casualty rates
Economic policies for appraising investment in travel are outdated,f according to a new report, published by the Road Safety Foundation. The report, titled Investing in Safer Mobility: Targeting investment across the British Road Network, says that compared with pre-Covid data, fatal and serious casualties are down but that a return to pre-pandemic figures ‘is to be expected’.
It adds that recent rises in the cost of living may impact future traffic levels, travel speeds and subsequent casualties – and that this may be further affected by an increase in home working post-Covid. The report says it is time to ‘refocus’ economic policies to offer safe, sustainable and inclusive mobility for all road users.
It notes that road infrastructure measures that reduce the risk of fatal and serious injury are ‘well understood’ and the investment returns are ‘compelling’.
