8 January 2026
In Oxfordshire 270 people are killed or seriously injured on our roads every year, that’s equivalent to about 10 coachloads of people or 3 domestic flights. It’s not just about numbers though; if roads are safer, more people will walk and cycle, poisonous emissions will be reduced, and our population will be healthier and happier.
Oxfordshire’s Coalition for Healthy Streets and Active Travel (CoHSAT) welcomed the Government’s target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on Britain’s roads 65% by 2035 but questioned whether the plans in its new Road Safety Strategy, launched this Wednesday, went far enough to achieve this.
“We’re pleased to see the ambitious target, which for Oxfordshire would mean reducing 270 people killed or seriously injured every year, to under 100, a big step towards Vision Zero. That’s a lot of families saved from the trauma of a life changing injury or worse, even though they’ll never realise it, never write to say thank-you.” said Robin Tucker, Co-Chair of CoHSAT.
“We particularly support the creation of the Road Safety Investigation Branch, something proposed by the Johnson Government in 2022, but not yet delivered. Similar data-led approaches in air, rail and sea transport have led to a near elimination of casualties to the point where any loss of life is viewed as unusual, which is a stark contrast to deaths on the road, most of which don’t lead to change.”
The following day (8 December), the Government added news that Local Authorities would gain powers to tackle pavement parking. Local Transport Minister, Lilian Greenwood, said: “Clear pavements are essential for people to move around safely and independently, whether that’s a parent with a pushchair, someone using a wheelchair, or a blind or partially sighted person. That’s why we’re giving local authorities the power to crack down on problem pavement parking, allowing more people to travel easily and safely and get to where they need to go.” CoHSAT supports this move and hopes the County Council will adopt these powers and all stakeholders will support them in making the pavements safer and easier to use, not just for disabled people, but for families too.
But CoHSAT thinks the Strategy could have gone further.
The strategy does not fill the gap between current poor walking and cycling facilities and the growing number and size of vehicles, which continually raises the danger levels. We desperately need better funding for safe pavements and cycleways so that people can use these to get to jobs, go about their day, get healthy and reduce pollution and danger to other people.
The new Strategy emphasises that ‘While central government provides policy direction, real change happens locally’, but key policy direction has not yet been delivered. 20mph speed limits have led to substantial casualty reduction across Wales, in several cities, and we’ve seen good initial results in Oxfordshire, but this Strategy does not yet make them the national default for urban roads, which would ease the transition for the many places that are making the change to safer speeds. Similarly, there’s a need for safer rural speed limits and reducing traffic in residential areas. These interventions are proven to reduce casualties. Without a national policy, the Government’s target for casualty reduction is unlikely to be met and every day of delay will see lives damaged and lost.
The Government proposes a minimum period between Theory and Driving tests for learners, but we don’t think that is enough to tackle dangerous young drivers. 24% of fatal and serious collisions involve drivers under 24, despite them only being 6% of licence holders. We have seen some horrific examples in Oxfordshire, with recent fatalities of both drivers and passengers. The patterns repeat: a young driver with young passengers, sometimes alcohol or drugs involved, and often the signs of showing off in a machine that is able to kill. We would like to have seen a Graduated Driving Licence, restricting passengers or night-time driving for young drivers to avoid some these frequent tragedies.
Siobhann Mansel-Pleydell of Oxfordshire Liveable Streets added, “This Strategy gets the diagnosis right: deaths and serious injury aren’t inevitable, and safer streets unlock healthier, more liveable places. The test now is delivery – safer speeds and people-first street design, especially around schools, high streets and bus corridors. We welcome this national direction, but the Strategy is clear that the change required is systemic and that ‘real change happens locally’. That means place-based plans with locally meaningful indicators, so communities can see what’s changing and be part of shaping it.
A spokesperson for Cyclox said, “the Road Safety Strategy quotes the National Travel Attitudes Survey which showed that ‘perceptions of safety are the main barrier to people cycling, especially for women and children. Safer roads mean more people cycling, leading to improved physical and mental health, reduced transport emissions, and ultimately increased road safety and more pleasant public spaces.’As Oxfordshire County Council considers how to spend taxpayers’ money on upgrades to roads, they need to consider both roads and driver behaviour with people who cycle in mind rather than putting drivers of private vehicles first. More people cycling means fewer cars on the roads, reduced air pollution and better health and well-being for all.”
Mr Tucker summarised, “January is the most dangerous month for road casualties, with poor weather and dark nights increasing the danger. This Strategy notes that 90% of collisions have driver error as a factor – which is why the police and other professionals no longer call them ‘accidents’. CoHSAT urges all road users to consider how they can make travel as safe as possible for everyone, but there’s only so much individuals can do.
CoHSAT calls on Oxfordshire County Council to set out how they will translate this new strategy into action. What will change for residents and visitors to Oxfordshire? We need clear local plans and transparent reporting if we are going to see change on our streets.”
