News on Leeds Safer Roads Vision Zero

It’s been over 12 months since Leeds City Council adopted the Leeds Vision Zero 2040 Strategy. During this time the other West Yorkshire authorities have adopted a Vision Zero / Safe System approach. The West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) also established the Vision Zero board which is chaired by the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Alison Lowe. 

At Leeds we're fully committed to support a county wide strategy and delivery plan and working groups have been established for each safe system pillar to progress targets on the 2022-2025 action plan.

What have we done since October 2022 to help achieve Vision Zero?

Safe speeds

• Completion of the 20mph programme, covering all suitable residential areas and schools – Harewood is the final ward and will be complete by the end of this financial year.
• Reduced speed limits (from national speed limit to 50 mph) in five rural locations.
• Introduction of average speed cameras on Stanningley bypass with more due to be installed.
• The implementation of new safety camera criteria by the West Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership led to five new community concern sites being approved under the new criteria and three new average speed camera locations agreed.

Safe roads

• City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) and Connecting Leeds programmes to improve pedestrian and cycle safety at Armley Gyratory, Fink Hill, Otley Road.
• Trials taking place at three sites using sensor technology to detect near misses and red-light running. 
• Motorcycles in bus lanes trial on the A65 in Kirkstall completed summer 2023. Evaluation showed positive impacts across four of five criteria being assessed and the trial location has been made permanent and may include more locations in future. 

Safe behaviours and people

• Ongoing delivery of pedestrian, scooting and cycle (Bikeability) training in Leeds schools. In the academic year 2022/23, over 17,000 pupils received road safety training. 79% of Year 6 pupils received Bikeability training; the aim is to increase this to over 80% this academic year.
• Young driver workshops are currently being delivered in further education colleges, sixth forms and workplaces by the TTC group, 22 workshops are expected to be delivered by the end of 2024.
• Theatre in Education, a hard-hitting, multi-media theatre performance about road safety has been delivered to 4,509 Year 7 pupils in 20 secondary schools in 2023/4 academic year.
• Three new 'School Streets' were launched at Birchfield, Blenheim and Bramhope Primary Schools in September 2023. Leeds now has 15 School Streets, offering a proactive solution for school communities to tackle air pollution, poor health and road danger reduction.
• Speed Indication Device (SIDs) sessions are being held in communities across Leeds. Nine sessions completed in five wards in 2023/4.
• Wheelie bin stickers have been made available for ward members to purchase.
• The Road Safety Trust grant funded a project in partnership with Leeds Older People's Forum. The project aimed to educate older drivers (60+) about changes that can happen in driving performance as they age and offered subsidised free Mature Driver Appraisals to assess mature drivers' skillset and keep them driving safer for longer. Between November and March, 22 appraisals were delivered by the William Merritt Centre.
• From May 2024, following a further Road Safety Trust grant, Leeds will participate in another three year trial of standardised mature driver assessments. 
• Six child car seat checking events were held across the city in October/November 2023. 169 checks were completed, 60% of these identified errors (46% minor, 14% major). These events will be followed up with training for professionals who transport children and young people in vehicles.
• Bike safe training courses have been delivered to motorcycle riders across West Yorkshire, delivered by WYP Roads Policing Unit.
• A trial of horse-rider close pass operation, in partnership with West Yorkshire Police Mounted Section and British Horse Society took place in August. Over a three hour period, over 30 drivers were dealt with and educated on the 'Pass Wide and Slow' message. Cycling close pass operations also took place. These will continue to be delivered this year.
• We were granted extended funding for West Yorkshire Police to continue ‘Operation SPARC’. During Operation SPARC officers seek to educate road users against the fatal five driving behaviours in target locations. Over 5,500 drivers have been stopped since the operation started in 2020.
• Promotion of Operation SNAP, the online reporting system for submitting footage of dangerous driving offences, has been carried out. Over two-thirds of submissions have resulted in further action being taken.
• We've increased the 'fatal four' to the ‘fatal five’: speed, distractions, drink/drug driving, non-seatbelt use, careless/reckless driving.

Safe vehicles

• Promotion of Tyre Safety Month messaging in October 2023.

Post-collision learning and care

• Data analysis carried out by Leeds' Collision Studies team evolved with additional criteria added. This includes: who caused harm during the collision, where and how. The data will be reviewed and used to inform future improvement programmes.
• Attendance at SCARD Oakleaf Service for National Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims and lighting up of Civic buildings on remembrance days.
• Working with WYCA / Vision Zero Board to improve post-collision support and care for victims and families.

If you would like anymore information about any of the points raised in this news item you can contact the team on: visionzero@leeds.gov.uk