The IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) says that spending cuts to transport and police budgets could have a disproportionate effect on road safety, and urges all public bodies involved in reducing deaths on our roads to continue to make road safety their top priority.

Neil Greig, the IAM’s policy and research director, said: “It was great to see a downward trend in road deaths in recent DfT figures, and therefore it’s hard to accept anything that might threaten progress achieved so far. Budget cuts may be necessary but their cumulative effect on some of the main partners in road safety, such as the emergency services and local highway authorities, may make it more difficult to sustain past successes.

“It would be an awful legacy if budget cuts slowed or reversed the trend to less death and injury on the road. The important task now is to compensate for these cuts. Public bodies have more freedom than ever on where to spend their resources and I urge them not to forget the long-term benefits from investing in better education, as well as training programmes and safer infrastructure.

“As the UK’s largest independent road safety charity we believe that the third sector has much to offer and we will be seeking new partnerships to maintain the momentum for safer roads in the UK.”

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