Councillors are due to consider a five-year plan to cut the number of people killed and injured on Neath Port Talbot roads this week.
The Draft Road Safety Strategy 2015-2020 recognises the need to maintain a high profile on road safety and measures to reduce road accidents.
Education and training is a key factor in the strategy as the authority intends to build on its already successful training schemes which have been aimed at children, learner and young drivers, professional drivers, motor bike riders and vulnerable groups like older drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.
Neath Port Talbot has a better road accident record than many Welsh authorities but it still wants to see further improvements.
The authority currently operates a wide range of schemes covering everyone from pre-school children to older drivers, and ‘Drive IQ’ its flagship scheme, unique in Wales, aims to raise awareness of road hazards among learner drivers.
At a time when budgets are getting tighter there is no cost from implementing the strategy with the finance being met by Government grants and income generation.
The Welsh Government has set national road safety targets to be achieved by 2020.
These include a 40 per cent reduction in the number of people killed and seriously injured on Welsh roads. Based on the average figures for the years 2004 to 2008 it would mean 562 fewer people killed or seriously injured.
The Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Councillor Ali Thomas OBE said there were often devastating and tragic consequences for those involved in road accidents and it could be traumatic for innocent bystanders and the emergency services.
“Road Safety affects every road user in Neath Port Talbot whether they are residents, visitors or carrying out business and we all have a part to play in preventing road collisions.
“We want to encourage safer behaviour from all road users. Our strategy builds on the Road Safety Framework for Wales and sets out what the council intends to deliver over the next five years.”
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