CITY ROADS SEE RISE IN DEATHS AND SERIOUS INJURIES

Local Democracy Reporter COVENTRY’S roads have seen a greater rise in the number of people killed or seriously injured than anywhere else in the West Midlands, new figures show.

The figure has risen 20 per cent from 118 in 2017 to 142 in 2018.

Across the West Midlands as a whole there was a 3.33 per cent drop in the same period from 2,222 to 2,148.

The jump is even higher when compared to 2013 with a 33.96 per cent rise, which is again greater than the 19.46 per cent regional increase in the same period.

Since 2013, 50 people have died on Coventry’s roads, 22 of those - almost half - pedestrians. 17 deaths came in 2018, rising from three in 2017.

Shadow cabinet member for city services Cllr Tim Mayer branded it a “worrying trend”.

But, citing a council policy which prioritises road safety schemes on roads with six or more personal injury collisions in a three-year period, he said more could be done.

Cllr Mayer said: “Unless there is a significant number of personal injury claims you are unlikely to get schemes put in.

“The council needs to speed up the need to change current policy to make sure we are being proactive rather than reactive to the worst possible areas.

“The figures show a worrying trend but it is not surprising given how reactive we are to road safety issues.”

Council officers have previously stated the policy helps prioritise where “limited” budgets can be spent.

Cabinet member for city services Cllr Pat Hetherton added that measures such as Average Speed Cameras are being taken to improve safety, but said many recent fatalities have been down to criminal activity out of the council’s hands. She said: “Speeding is an issue across the country.

“Some of the fatalities we have had in recent years have been down to people taking drugs, alcohol or hit and runs.

“They have been criminal acts more than things we have control over.

“However, we know there is more to do and we will never stop trying to reduce speed.

“It would be fantastic if we had the funding to be more productive than we are already.

“We are putting up speed cameras and we are seeing the benefits of that.”

Figures, from the Department for Transport, have been highlighted by charity Brake as it marks Road Safety Week this week.

This year the charity is shining a light on campaigners who are “Stepping Up for Safe Streets” in their local area.

The 2018 figures include the deaths of brothers Corey and Casper Platt-May which rocked Coventry.

The tragic brothers were on their way to the park with their mother and two brothers on February 22 last year.

They were mowed down by killer driver Robert Brown who was high drugs and driving at more than 60mph on Longfellow Road.

He was later jailed for their deaths and died in prison last December.

Campaigner Richard Heneghan has been fighting for improved road signage after a national adjudicator ruled the city’s parking signage was ‘inadequate.

Commenting on the figures, he said: “We would never suggest that drivers aren’t ultimately responsible for their own actions.

“However, the DfT rules around signage and road layout exist for a reason.

“Drivers are to blame but so is a city council that is not fulfilling its statutory obligation to keep our road users safe.”