Road Safety Framework: Annual Report 2014

2014 Progress Report

In the five years since its launch, Scotland's Road Safety Partners continued to make considerable progress in delivering the commitments as set out in Scotland's Road Safety Framework to 2020.

The vast majority of the 96 commitments have been delivered or are underway and are bolstered by ongoing annual activity, which last year further contributed to achieving Scotland's long-term road safety targets for casualty reduction: 40% reduction in fatalities; 55% reduction in serious injuries; 50% reduction in children killed; and 65% reduction in children seriously injured (based on a 2004-2008 average).

A snapshot of activities undertaken in 2014 across partner organisations to meet the commitments is shown below.

Delivery of Scotland's Road Safety Framework to 2020 commitments in 2014

CATEGORY: Working Together

COMMITMENT RSF07: Investigate, report and implement ways to help ensure schoolchildren's safety when getting on and off school buses.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Road Safety Framework funding was agreed for Glasgow City Council, supported by independent evaluation, to take forward a pilot study to examine the effect of enhanced school bus signage pilot. The pilot study will seek to examine outcomes including:

Increase evidence for and understanding of ways different bus signage configurations may contribute towards increasing schoolchildren's safety when getting on and off school buses.

Improvements in positive driver behaviour and speed reduction associated with enhanced signage when approaching and passing school buses.

Increasing driver's awareness of school bus signage and improving their safer driving behaviours when approaching school buses.

The enhanced school bus signage pilot study will run and report in 2015.

CATEGORY: Working Together

COMMITMENT RSF08: Call on UK Government to consider any strengthening of legislation in relation to school transport.

PROGRESS IN 2014

The Scottish Government announced in March 2014 that it intends to introduce legislation to make seatbelts compulsory on dedicated school transport in Scotland, in the next Scottish Parliament (post-2016).

Following agreement between the UK Government and the Scottish Government, a Section 30 Order, to devolve legislative competence to the Scottish Parliament to allow for legislation to make seatbelts compulsory on dedicated school transport in Scotland, was laid on 29 January 2015.

CATEGORY: Drivers aged 17-25

COMMITMENT RSF09: Continue to look for innovative ways to target younger drivers with appropriate messages about safe driving to increase their awareness and understanding of their vulnerability and the dangers they face due to inexperience.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Road Safety Framework funding was awarded for Safe Drive Stay Alive (SDSA) activity in Forth Valley and its evaluation, to broaden the evidence-base for this particular young driver intervention in Scotland. An independent assessment of SDSA activity in different areas of Scotland was also commissioned and will report in 2015.

CATEGORY: Impairment (Drink-Drive)

COMMITMENT RSF13: Continue to press the UK Government for a reduction in the drink-drive limit and for powers for the police to carry out breath testing anytime, anywhere.

PROGRESS IN 2014

On November 18 2014 the Scottish Parliament unanimously voted in favour of a landmark law to lower the limit from 80mg in every 100ml of blood to 50mg in every 100ml of blood with equivalent changes to the limits for alcohol in breath and urine. The new legislation came into effect in Scotland on December 5 2014 bringing into effect the reduced drink drive limit.

CATEGORY: Impairment Speed

COMMITMENT RSF21: Continue to support the Safety Camera Programme.

PROGRESS IN 2014

In order to ensure the most effective and efficient outcomes, a comprehensive Review of the Programme was completed by Transport Scotland in association with Police Scotland, local authorities, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the Society of Chief Officers for Transportation in Scotland and other stakeholders.

The review recommended a range of measures to streamline and support management, delivery and governance of the Safety Camera Programme. Transport Scotland will continue to fund the Safety Camera Programme and work will be undertaken in 2015 on the transition arrangements required, revising the Programme Handbook setting out the rules and guidance under which the programme will operate.

CATEGORY: Pedestrians

COMMITMENT RSF24: Publish guidance for Scottish roads authorities on designing streets, focusing on the needs of pedestrians.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Revised 'Good Practice Guide on 20mph Speed Restrictions', developed in conjunction with the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS). The guide aims to provide clarity on the options available to local authorities and seeks to aid greater consistency on the setting of 20mph speed restrictions in Scotland.

It encourages the introduction of 20mph speed restrictions near schools, in residential areas and in other areas of our towns and cities where there is a significant volume of pedestrian or cyclist activity. The decision on whether to use a limit or a zone is one for the local authority to take. The revised guidance was published and distributed to all local authorities in Scotland on 8 January 2015.

CATEGORY: Pedal cyclists

COMMITMENT RSF27: Ensure that all road users receive appropriate education and training messages about safer cycling in the road environment, including journeys to and from school and in residential areas.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Practical Cycle Awareness Training

Road Safety Framework funding was awarded to Cycling Scotland for "Vulnerable Road User Awareness Training for Drivers of LGVs and PCVs ". The project will rollout Practical Cycle Awareness Training for Drivers of Large Vehicles with 10 partner local authorities across Scotland. The project will get underway in 2015 with the stated outcomes:

To increase awareness amongst HGV and LGV drivers about safer cycling in the road environment by providing appropriate education and training messages.
To increase CPC opportunities for LGV and PCV drivers through the rollout of practical cycle training courses and development of instructors.

The project will be evaluated and is due to report early in 2016.

Give Me Cycle Space

Cycling Scotland delivered the Give Me Cycle Space campaign in 210 schools across 20 local authorities with over 18,000 pupils taking part in in-school activities. The campaign reminds drivers to give people sufficient space while overtaking.

Essential Cycling Skills

Funded by Transport Scotland, the Essential Cycling Skills app, aimed at boosting confidence for adults getting back on their bikes, was launched in April and had nearly 3,000 downloads during the year.

CATEGORY: Pre-drivers

COMMITMENT RSF29: Support the implementation and encourage take up of the safe road user award.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Transport Scotland supports RoSPA Scotland in the delivery of a range of road safety-related work. RoSPA Scotland continued to develop the first SQA qualification for road safety practitioners in Scotland. In June 2014, the SQA Programme was launched with modules covering Priority User Groups, Road Casualty Profile, Partnership Working and Legislative Framework, Resources Educations Training and Publicity, Evaluation Presentation and Communication Skills in Road Safety.

This now provides road safety professionals and practitioners in Scotland the opportunity to achieve a unique industry standard qualification to equip them with the specialist knowledge, delivery skills and analytical capabilities needed to continue to reduce road deaths.

CATEGORY: People who drive for work

COMMITMENT RSF30: Encourage and support the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) (Scotland) with the formation of the Scottish Occupational Road Safety Alliance (ScORSA) in order to raise employers' awareness of the need to have a policy on the Management of Occupational Road Risk (MORR).

PROGRESS IN 2014

Transport Scotland supports RoSPA Scotland in the delivery of a range of road safety-related work. During 2014 RoSPA Scotland continued to deliver the Scottish Occupational Road Safety Alliance (ScORSA) to promote the positive benefits of managing driving risks at work, the ScORSA Driving Risks at Work Toolkit and the annual ScORSA St Andrew's Seminar.

This has supported Scottish employers to continue to access free road safety advice and share good practice in their management of occupational road risk to ensure that employers are supported to make a contribution to reducing the toll of accidents on Scotland's roads.

CATEGORY: Trunk Roads

COMMITMENT RSF38: Undertake Road Protection Score Surveys, for the remaining two-thirds of Scotland's trunk road network and determine how this information can complement the existing processes within the road safety engineering programme.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Analysis from Transport Scotland annual road safety programme, route safety files and other forms of route strategy assessment were used to undertake road protection score analysis.

Scotland's trunk road network is monitored by assessing sections of road with a higher than average accident rate for a road of its type. Route treatments were performed on the following routes in 2014: A77, A76, A737, A85 and A92 Trunk Roads.

The recommended measures from the reports have included surfacing, high friction surfacing, signing, verge marker posts, lining and bend assessment works to provide drivers with a consistent message when approaching challenging bends along the route. These types of measures have proven to be successful in reducing casualties when implemented on other trunk roads in Scotland.

CATEGORY: Trunk Roads

COMMITMENT RSF39: Continue to consider and implement a range of proactive risk removal strategies to reduce the severity and frequency of impacts with hazards.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Transport Scotland continued to implement various innovative products that reduce risk in the roadside, including:

Signposts: Removing large unprotected signposts with passively safe alternatives. Signs on the A1 at Reston and on the A87 between Kyle and Portree were relocated and replaced with passively safe signposts.
Safety Barriers: Ramped terminal ends have been replaced with P4 and crash cushion alternatives. In addition, a number of motorcycle friendly barriers that are designed to reduce the risk of injury to motorcyclists have been installed at Ord of Caithness on the A9.
Tree Mass Action: Large trees that are continuing to be struck by errant vehicles and to improve sightlines have been removed including significant roadside vegetation clearance on the A9 between Perth and Inverness.
Lighting Columns: Older lighting columns have been replaced with passively safe equivalents on the A9 at Auchterarder.
Vehicle Activated Chevrons: Vehicle activated chevrons at known accident locations have been installed including on the A1 at Spott Roundabout and on the A90 at Cortes Village.

CATEGORY: Trunk Roads

COMMITMENT RSF40: Continue to invest in providing 2+1 overtaking opportunities.

PROGRESS IN 2014

The Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR), published in December 2008, sets out the Scottish Government's 29 transport investment priorities over the period to 2032.

The majority of the 2+1 schemes recommended in the STPR have now been incorporated into dualling schemes i.e. the A9 between Perth and Inverness and the A96 between Aberdeen and Inverness.

In 2014 the Dunragit Bypass and Hardgrove to Kinmount Improvement Project were completed.

CATEGORY: Trunk Roads

COMMITMENT RSF41: Consider the most appropriate barriers to protect vulnerable users such as motorcyclists.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Transport Scotland have continued to implement various innovative products that reduce risk to motorcyclists and other vulnerable road users in 2014:

Motorcyclists - motorcycle friendly safety barrier and vehicle activated signs (VAS) were installed at known hazardous locations for motorcyclists including the A83 (Strone Point), A9 (Ord of Caithness ), A82, A828 (Appin) and the A84.
Speed Management in Towns and Villages - Installing carriageway markings and VAS schemes to reduce speeds and improve safety for pedestrians in the built up areas were implemented on the A78 in Fairlie & Seamill, the A68 in Pathhead and the A75 in Springholm.
20mph Speed Limit Pilot - Plans, developed to install 20mph in five locations (Maybole, Largs, Langholm, Biggar and Oban) where there are known vulnerable road user accidents to improve safety, were advanced to the statutory road order process.

CATEGORY: Trunk Roads

COMMITMENT RSF42: Continue to invest in junction improvement schemes.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Transport Scotland continued to support junction improvement schemes through delivery of a number of initiatives such as:

Road Safety Schemes - Many have included innovative approaches and products that are designed to improve safety such as hard-wired LED road studs on the A720 Trunk Road at Sheriffhall Roundabout. These studs illuminate when the traffic signals turn to green and are designed to improve lane. discipline.

Minor Improvement Schemes - including the A9 at Greenloaning where the junction was enhanced to install a new slip road that has improved the geometry and safety for drivers using the junction.

Major Improvement Schemes - There have been ongoing improvements made to junctions with a long history of personal injury accidents including grade junctions on the A77 Trunk Road at Bogend Toll and Symington to grade separated junctions. This has directly removed the accident issue of slow moving vehicles exiting the side roads crossing a high speed road and entering the running carriageway.

CATEGORY: Trunk Roads

COMMITMENT RSF43: Rank the worst performing junctions on the trunk road network, by accident frequency and severity over the last 10 years, and prepare a programme to improve selected locations.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Transport Scotland has continued to rank the worst performing junctions on the Scottish Trunk Road network over a 10-year period to consider sites that may not be identified through the normal road safety annual assessment that looks at a three-year period.

The identified roads are categorised as single or dual carriageway and added to the operating companies' road safety programmes for further investigation. As a consequence, a junction improvement scheme at Inverkip on the A78 Trunk Road to install new signing, lining and changed the slip road priority was completed in 2014. In addition, vehicle activated junction signs that are activated by loops in the road to inform drivers on the main line of vehicles turning out of the side road were installed across a number of roads on the network.

CATEGORY: Trunk Roads

COMMITMENT RSF45: Examine the possibility for further rollout of TRISS.

PROGRESS IN 2014

The Trunk Road Incident Support Service (TRISS) supports the work of Traffic Scotland and was first introduced in April 2006 on the M8 through Glasgow. TRISS has subsequently been extended across sections of the North West area key routes (A9, A82, A96) in addition to the existing South East area key routes (M9, M8, M90, A1, A92, A720, A823(M), A985), North East area key routes (A985, M90 and A92) and South West area key routes (M8, M80, M73, M74, A725).

Planning for TRISS coverage was commenced for the Forth Road Bridge in advance of letting the contract for the Forth Bridge Queensferry Crossing in 2015 and for the opening of the new crossing in 2016. This will permit TRISS coverage on the M9 to be extended up to Keir Roundabout.

CATEGORY: Trunk Roads

COMMITMENT RSF46: Implement Strategic Transport Projects Review.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Transport Scotland identified the following four priority projects, from the 29 recommendations proposed by the Strategic Transport Projects Review, which continue to progress well:

Forth Replacement Crossing
Edinburgh to Glasgow Rail Improvements Programme
Highland Mainline Improvements
Aberdeen to Inverness Rail Improvements.

Development and design work with partners and other stakeholders was advanced with other recommendations arising from the STPR, including the A96 Inveramsay Bridge Improvement Works, the A737 Dalry Bypass and the A77 Maybole Bypass. The remaining STPR recommendations will be taken forward in line with the resources available from future spending reviews.

In addition to the major projects, there is a clear commitment within the Infrastructure Investment Plan 2011 to complete the A9 dualling Perth to Inverness by 2025 and the A96 dualling Inverness to Aberdeen by 2030.

CATEGORY: Local Roads

COMMITMENT RSF47: Continue to seek improvements to the planning, co-ordination and implementation of safety measures at road works through Codes of Practice and further legislation if necessary.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Through Transport Scotland's participation on the UK Road Worker Safety Forum (RoWSaF), alternative methods of working for erection of traffic management on trunk roads and motorways, other than those identified in Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual, have been introduced which lower the risk to road workers through reduced exposure to high risk activities. This information is disseminated through the Scottish Temporary Traffic Management Safety Forum which TS chairs on a quarterly basis

We are continuing to improve our methods of improving safety through roadworks through the use of average speed cameras, vehicle activated signs, media messages etc.

CATEGORY: Local Roads

COMMITMENT RSF48: Encourage and promulgate research and guidance in the engineering field through SCOTS.

PROGRESS IN 2014

In 2014, SCOTS Transport and Road Safety Group continued to play a key role as a road safety partner with Transport Scotland in the development of Scotland's revised 'Good Practice Guide on 20mph Speed Restrictions', the introduction of legislation on the use of seatbelts on school buses and the Scottish Safety Camera Programme review.

SCOTS produced a best practice guide for carrying out safety audits by reviewing current local authority procedures, which was distributed to all Scottish local authority areas.

CATEGORY: Working together

COMMITMENT RSF52: Introduce a Scottish Road Safety Week after consultation with partners.

PROGRESS IN 2014

The Strategic Partnership Board (SPB) recommended that further work should be undertaken to deliver a Scottish Road Safety Week in 2015.

A Transport Scotland Chaired Working Group, including representatives of local councils, Road Safety Scotland, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Cycling Scotland, Scottish Community Safety Network, RoSPA Scotland, Paths for All and Living Streets, latterly met to consider the operational planning, delivery and assessment of a Scottish Road Safety Week Pilot to align with the UN Global Road Safety Week between 4-10 May 2015. Assessment of the pilot will be included in the 2015 Annual Report.

CATEGORY: Working together

COMMITMENT RSF56: Encourage and support the use of intelligence-led road safety targeting.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government's Community Safety Unit have jointly put in place an Evaluation Framework contract, which allows us to offer evaluation training support for external road safety partners. This work also seeks to facilitate skills transfer, so that those who receive this training and support are encouraged to pass these evaluation skills on to others so that partners can in turn, evaluate the work that they do.

Independent evaluation support has continued to be developed through the Framework contract this year to evaluate an enhanced school bus signage pilot in Glasgow and to assess the possible impact of the Safe Drive Stay Alive young driver intervention activity that is delivered across Scotland, the outcome of both will be included in the 2015 Annual Report.

CATEGORY: Drivers aged 17 - 25

COMMITMENT RSF61: Encourage initiatives which lead to qualifications and safer driving attitudes and behaviours.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Transport Scotland continued to support RoSPA Scotland in the delivery of a range of road safety-related work.

RoSPA Scotland continued to develop the first SQA qualification for road safety practitioners in Scotland. The SQA units are linked to the commitments within the Road Safety Framework to 2020, and will help to introduce a benchmark for quality assurance for road safety service delivery.

RoSPA Scotland launched the SQA Road Safety Programme, in June 2014, with modules covering Priority User Groups, Road Casualty Profile, Partnership Working and Legislative Framework, Resources Education Training and Publicity, Evaluation Presentation and Communication Skills.

This now provides road safety professionals practitioners in Scotland the opportunity to achieve a unique industry standard qualification to equip them with the specialist knowledge, delivery skills and analytical capabilities needed to continue to reduce road deaths.

CATEGORY: Impairment (Drink-Drive)

COMMITMENT RSF64: Give greater prominence to the 'Don't risk it' message throughout the year through the targeting of more road policing officers to carry out increased enforcement and raise the perceived risk of being caught.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Police Scotland undertook operational drink drive activity on Scotland's roads during the summer campaign in June and the festive campaign in December which coincided with the lowering of the drink-drive limit in Scotland on 5 December.

During the four-week festive drink-drive campaign, Police Scotland tested 17,504 drivers for alcohol - an average of 625 drivers each day.

CATEGORY: Impairment (Drink-Drive)

COMMITMENT RSF65: Introduce, in liaison with the Scottish Government Marketing Unit, drink drive publicity campaigns outside of the traditional summer and festive seasons.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Road Safety Scotland delivered a widespread Don't Risk It public information campaign, from 17 November to herald the change and, on 5 December, launched a fully-integrated social marketing campaign to accompany Police Scotland's Festive Safety campaign. The campaign attracted significant media and press coverage both during the public information phase and the social marketing phase.

Field activity engaged with over 18,000 individuals during the campaigns and over 100 partner organisations helped distribute key messages to employees and social media activity reached over 260,000 fans and followers.

CATEGORY: Pedestrians

COMMITMENT RSF74: Encourage local authorities to consider 20mph zones in all residential areas.

PROGRESS IN 2014

The revised 'Good Practice Guide on 20mph Speed Restrictions', developed in conjunction with the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS).

The Guide aims to provide clarity on the options available to local authorities and seeks to aid greater consistency on the setting of 20mph speed restrictions in Scotland. It encourages the introduction of 20mph speed restrictions near schools, in residential areas and in other areas of our towns and cities where there is a significant volume of pedestrian or cyclist activity. The decision on whether to use a limit or a zone is one for the local authority to take.

The revised guide was latterly published and distributed to all Local Authorities in Scotland on 8 January 2015. There will be an update to the guidance in due course to take account of proposed changes to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 which are currently progressing through the UK Parliament.

CATEGORY: Motorcyclists

COMMITMENT RSF77: Through RSS, support targeted publicity campaigns aimed at motorcyclists.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Road Safety Scotland (RSS) supported the launch of Police Scotland's 2014 motorcycle campaign Operation Zenith and co-ordinated road safety input to the Scottish Motorcycle Show in March 2014.

RSS commissioned a company to undertake insight gathering with motorcyclists in cities and in rural areas across Scotland which will support the development of a new fully-integrated social marketing Motorcycle Road Safety Campaign in 2015.

CATEGORY: Pre-Drivers

COMMITMENT RSF79: Seek to influence young people's attitudes to road safety and future driving behaviour before they get behind the wheel.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Road Safety Scotland (RSS) delivered the Kids in the Car campaign, which targets parents who drive with children in the car, in July 2014 supported by TV and radio, digital, PR, partnership and field marketing activity across Scotland.

Education resources continue to emphasise the importance of early years and the principle of lifelong learning as being important to future driving behaviour. The Ziggy website was refreshed to include more information for parents and provides links to the Kids in the Car campaign on the www.dontriskit.info website.

Road Safety Framework funding was awarded for the young people and pre-driver intervention activity on Safe Drive Stay Alive (SDSA) activity for S4, 5 & 6 schools pupils in Forth Valley and the New Driver Programme for students in North Lanarkshire further education colleges. Both will be underway in 2015.

The identified outcomes of the projects will seek to:

increase the awareness of secondary school pupils about safe driving practices and their vulnerability and dangers they face due to inexperience;
increase secondary school pupils positive attitudes about safe driving practice;
improve young people engagement about road safety and safe driving practices;
increase young drivers awareness and vulnerability due to their lack of road experience;
increase positive attitudes in driving within target age group of 17-25 year olds; and
increase awareness within local authorities with best practice to organising pre-driver events for senior secondary school pupils.

An independent evaluator was commissioned to assess the possible impact of SDSA activity being delivered as a young driver intervention in areas across Scotland.

CATEGORY: Older Drivers

COMMITMENT RSF83: Promote initiatives to raise awareness amongst older drivers of their vulnerability and ways in which they can address this.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Road Safety Framework funding was awarded to Stewarty Community Safety Forum for the "Saferwheels 50+". This will be delivered through a partnership between Stewarty Community Safety Forum and the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) which aims to encourage and support older drivers to undertake an assessed drive with onward signposting to the IAM for further training.

The identified project outcomes are to:

increase the awareness and appreciation of elderly drivers of the road safety benefits of undertaking additional driver training;
improve the confidence of elderly drivers as road users; and
incentivise and improve driver training of elderly drivers as safer road users.

The project will report in 2015.

CATEGORY: Local Roads

COMMITMENT RSF89: Monitor and evaluate the progress of the A811 route safety strategy and, if successful in the reduction of casualties, encourage rollout across Scotland.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Following the successful introduction of the A811 route strategy in 2009, a number of route strategies have been implemented across Scotland. All route strategies currently in use will be subject to a site selection prioritisation exercise in 2015.

Through the review of the Scottish Safety Camera Programme, the criteria behind safety camera site selection will be revised with route strategies continuing to be considered for enforcement.

CATEGORY: Children and Young People

COMMITMENT RSF91: Aim to achieve our ambitious child casualty reduction targets by 2020, by scrutinising the circumstances of each child fatality and reporting to Scottish Ministers with recommendations for action.

PROGRESS IN 2014

Work on this commitment is being taken forward by examining the possibility of a collaborative approach on data-linkage analysis of child road fatality cases in Scotland and also through the work of the Child Death Review Working Group which will explore the current practice of reviewing all child deaths in Scotland and to consider whether Scotland should introduce a national, collaborative, multi-agency system. Further work on both initiatives will get underway in the coming months in 2015.

CATEGORY: Older Drivers

COMMITMENT RSF95: Investigate ways to promote and facilitate initiatives relating to further training for older drivers including consideration of incentivisation to do this.

PROGRESS IN 2014

The identified project outcomes are to:

increase the awareness and appreciation of elderly drivers of the road safety benefits of undertaking additional driver training;
improve the confidence of elderly drivers as road users; and
incentivise and improve driver training of elderly drivers as safer road users.

The project will report in 2015.