A total of 17 of the most high-risk roads in England are set to benefit from a £38million investment as the Government works to improving the safety of drivers and pedestrians.
The funds given to local authorities, will be used to design new junctions and roundabouts, improve signage and road markings, make new road surfacing and landscape management as well as improve pedestrian crossings and cycle lanes.
The local authorities benefiting from funds include Bolton Council, Devon County Council, Doncaster City Council and North Yorkshire County Council.
It is expected the push for safer roads will save 385 lives over the next 20 years, as well as reduce congestion, improve journey times and lower emissions.
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The push for safer roads will save 385 lives over the next 20 years
GETTYThe road revamp forms part of the Government's £24billion roads investment strategy which looks to level up England's roads and transport links.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “Britain’s roads are some of the safest in the world, but we are always looking at ways to help keep drivers and all road users safe.
“As part of the Government’s plan to improve roads across the country, we’re providing an extra £38million so that local councils in England have the support they need to keep everyone safe while reducing congestion and helping to grow the economy.”
According to the Road Safety Foundation, it is estimated that the total investment by the Government on the roads will aim to save nearly 2,600 fatal and serious injuries over the next 20 years.
Dr Suzy Charman, executive director of the Foundation, explained that the funds are a “transformational initiative” for road safety and for the local authorities receiving funds.
It makes it possible for road safety teams across the country to proactively address the risk of death and serious injury for all road users on these routes, Charman added.
She explained: “Systematic changes have already had a big impact on road death and serious injury, for example, seat belts and airbags protect lives when crashes happen.
“In the same way, we can design roads so that when crashes happen people can walk away – by clearing or protecting roadsides, putting in cross hatching to add space between vehicles, providing safer junctions like roundabouts or adding signalisation and/or turning pockets, and including facilities for walking and cycling."
She congratulated the Department for Transport on its initiative and thanked ministers for their commitment to safer roads.
Meanwhile, Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, stated that the input from the Government was a hugely welcome gift.
He said the announcement means that another 120 miles of safer road improvements will be delivered to the benefit of users.
The road improvements fall alongside other Government initiatives such as updating the Highway Code to introduce a hierarchy of road users, which places those most at risk at the top of the scale.
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Another 120 miles of safer road improvements will be delivered
GETTYList of local authorities which received funds
A579 - Bolton Council - £1.4million
A676 - Bolton Council - £1million
A432 - Bristol Council - £2.2million
A361 - Devon County Council - £5million
A690 - Durham County Council - £2.9million
A19 - Doncaster City Council - £2.9million
A19 - North Yorkshire County Council - £2.9million
A113 - Essex County Council - £3.6million
A6 - Lancashire County Council - £4.5million
A6 - North Northamptonshire County Council - £2.2million
A60 - Nottingham City Council - £2.2million
A6200 - Nottingham City Council - £600,000
A420 - Oxfordshire County Council - £2.2million
A5191 - Shropshire Council - £650,000
A2101 - East Sussex County Council - £875,000
A583 - Lancashire County Council - £1.4million
A41 - Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council - £1.2million