“Road safety is a major issue in South Shropshire. Every year more than 1,000 people die on rural roads – ten times as many than on the motorways. I am determined to change this for the better. From your feedback, I have identified key hotspots and got to work in addressing this issue together with key partners including the Police and Crime Commissioner and Local Transport Authority. I have also called on the government to provide greater investment for rural road safety interventions, for example, by continuing the Safer Roads Fund."
In Shropshire, there is around 3,206 miles of road. Only last year, there were 19 fatalities and 142 serious injuries on our roads. In 2024, 56 people were killed and 516 seriously injured in road traffic collisions across West Mercia.
My road safety campaign launched in August 2024, when I urged key partners to take more action to tackle these issues - with the latest statistics showing the majority of road fatalities occurred on rural roads.
In November 2024, I supported Road Safety Week. I met with Morville Speed Group alongside representatives of the Police and Crime Commissioner and Dominic Stanford, who has been championing these issues.
In the same month, I called for rural roads to be prioritised in the government’s new Road Safety Strategy. In a letter to the Transport Secretary, I called for greater investment in rural road safety interventions by continuing the Safer Roads Fund, which was set up by the previous government.
In January 2025, I was informed that Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion is funding new Vehicle Activated Speed signs in Morville. It is part of a wider strategy to improve road safety in the village, which includes an extension of the speed limit and gateway improvements.
I have now launched a campaign to tackle the scourge of potholes in South Shropshire. According to the AA, a record £579 million was spent in the UK last year repairing vehicles damaged by potholes. This is up from £474 million in 2023. The RAC has stated that smoother, well-maintained road surfaces could save drivers up to £440 each year in expensive vehicle repairs following pothole damage.
