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5.9 The Deputy of St. Mary of the Minister for Transport and Technical Services regarding the analysis of road traffic accidents:
With regard to promoting road safety under the Sustainable Transport Policy, will the Minister confirm that his department will be responsible for analysing the causes of road traffic accidents, and, if so, how will this analysis be reviewed, who will have ultimate responsibility for the success or otherwise of this programme, and how will this work be budgeted?
Connétable M.K. Jackson of St. Brelade (The Minister for Transport and
Technical Services):
I can confirm that my department will be responsible for analysing the causes of road traffic accidents and have already developed data analysis software to assist in the interrogation of the States Police Accident Database. The States Police have trained road traffic collision investigators who investigate causes of individual accidents and the Police Statistics Unit will assist my department to identify the general causes and trends in our road traffic accidents. Results will be discussed with the Road Safety Officer, Driver and Vehicle Standards, the States and Honorary Police. Appropriate actions will be determined and a specific target set for 2015. According to the Deputy 's amendment to the Sustainable Transport Policy approved last December I would inform the States of the target and proposed actions later in the year. If the target is not achieved by 2015 it would be my responsibility or future Minister for Transport and Technical Services to consider what further action was necessary. The Sustainable Transport Policy has funding and a proportion of that funding may be required to support road safety initiatives. It will not be possible to estimate what the budget is required, however, until the actions are determined.
5.9.1 The Deputy of St. Mary :
I thank the Minister for that answer. That is reassuring that those measures will be taken. I just want to focus on the matter of resources. In his answer to a written question of mine on 12th October last year there was mention of how this issue would be taken forward, and the last phrase of his answer was: "Cost effective programme of road safety measures within available resources." I would just like the Minister to comment on that phrase "within available resources" when we are looking at a financial cost to the community of an estimated £18 million, not to mention the heartache and anguish.
The Connétable of St. Brelade :
The S.T.P. (Sustainable Transport Policy) has funding of £500,000 as voted by the States, and a proportion of that funding may be required to support road safety initiatives. Likewise, there may be changes to legislation which would not require so much in the way of funds and they would be dealt with by using existing resources.