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23.06.13
9 Connétable K. Shenton-Stone of St. Martin of the Minister for Infrastructure
regarding the promotion of greener transport alternatives, including cycling and walking (OQ.115/2023)
Will the Minister advise whether he has plans to ensure that any future initiatives to promote greener transport alternatives, including cycling and walking, will be supported by improved road- safety campaigns and promotion of greater awareness among users of heavier and faster vehicles and, if so, will he provide an outline of the plans?
Deputy T. Binet (The Minister for Infrastructure):
In December 2021 the Infrastructure Department lodged a road safety review, which suggested that adopting an interim target of a 50 per cent reduction in fatal and serious road accident injuries over the next 10 years. The review recommended that a road safety co-ordination team should be established to adopt a holistic approach involving various government agencies, which include Infrastructure, Health, the police, Parishes and the public. Sadly, due to budgetary constraints and competing priorities the work was never funded. However, the Constable might recall this, in March of this year the Assembly took the decision to approve a higher than usual increase in the parking charges, which has enabled us to fund the establishment of a qualified road safety team. The recruitment process is now underway and once the team has been formed educational campaigns will be among the top priorities, and this should go a long way to help to reduce the disproportionately high number of casualties that occur on our roads. On a personal note, I would like to assure the Constable that we have had a spate of horrible road accidents recently and I am extremely concerned and this certainly will receive my very best endeavours and those of the team to ensure that we bring about as much reduction as we possibly can.
3.9.1 The Connétable of St. Martin :
I thank the Minister for his answer. I have been waiting since my road safety proposition for this to happen and very keen for the hierarchy of road-users’ education to take place. Would the Minister agree that road safety is paramount and that money spent on road-safety campaigning and education is money very well spent?
Deputy T. Binet :
I wholeheartedly agree and I thank the Constable for her original proposition that I think gave rise to this in the first instance.