VOTE: North Lincolnshire Council road safety budget cut by 68 per cent
MASSIVE cuts to North Lincolnshire Council's road safety budget could trigger more severe accidents on the region's roads, it has been claimed.
The road safety capital budget has been slashed by 68 per cent, from £118,000 to £38,000, meaning safety projects to protect vulnerable motorists, such as bikers, could be axed.
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DANGER: Seven-year-old Tia Goffe, from Scunthorpe, who is concerned about the latest road safety cuts. Picture: Jon Corken
Work includes replacing flashing speed warning signs, improving road safety training and education, and upgrading flashing school crossing signs.
In a further blow to highways safety, the council is axing the post of a school travel advisor, who worked to make the school run safe.
Cuts have been forced upon the local authority as part of a Government spending review.
Councillor Bernard Regan, cabinet member for highways, planning and energy at North Lincolnshire Council, said: "Central Government have made cuts not with a scalpel but with a rusty cutlass.
"We now find ourselves hamstrung by cuts.
"We've just been told, 'that's how much you have to cut, deal with it'.
"We then have to face the wrath of the public as the Government enforce the cuts but we have to implement them."
He added: "It could mean more accidents on our roads and maybe more severe accidents."
Mr Regan said: "Another thing the Government wants the council to do is reduce accidents.
"We have strict new targets to meet and our ability to meet them is being whittled away. "There's going to be an awful lot of consequences."
Ken Rustidge, national executive member of the NUT for North Lincolnshire, expressed deep concern at the news.
He said: "It's alarming and concerning."
The cuts to the capital budget will not affect Safer Roads Humber, which carries out camera enforcement in the region, as a separate revenue grant goes towards its upkeep.
But its revenue grant has already dropped by 27 per cent in a separate cost cutting exercise.
"One of the bones of contention is I strongly believe if we have a cut in funding we have to have a balance somewhere," said Mr Regan. "Road safety could be more strongly enforced by police but they have to have budget cuts as well."
He explained it was with great regret the cuts were being made, but anything that is not an obligation and would not cause significant long-term impact could be targeted.
"Many of the local authority's commitments are statutory but school safety isn't," said Mr Regan.
"We're doing our best to reduce the impact on the public."
He added the council's highways department is expecting a £2-million shortfall in its budget next year.
Tia Goffe, seven, from Scunthorpe, said road safety is crucial.
"I think it is very important to be safe when you are crossing the road," she said.
"I always hold hands with someone and look both ways to make sure nothing is coming.
"It is very important to be extra safe when you are going to school."
12 Comments
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by Socialist Fool, Ashby
Sunday, August 01 2010, 12:07PM
“This should be just a start. Ruth Gore and her entire department should be abolished to great advantage. The gravy train ends now.”
by Old Man, Messingham
Saturday, July 31 2010, 12:52AM
“When thousands of cyclists left the Steelworks at shift change, kids went to school on bikes, there were no cycle lanes, less traffic lights, safety stuff & lumps in the road were footballs.
O K there weren't so many cars.
Life & times have changed, more cars & with more power. The big problem is the pace of life today, which is governed by work. People have to work to get money, the pressure of work is to make money & the stress causes people to rush, so they drive faster to get to work on time.
You can't get to work on time now as lumps, humps, unnecessary traffic lights, mini circles etc. are all stuck in your way. WHY? Bikes! where are they, not many but probably on the footpath. Now it's a case of get up 1/2 hour earlir to get there.
Get rid of the so called traffic experts who sit half the day sitting behind a screen thinking of how they can next screw everybody up. Pick on the idiots who drive at 45/50 in 30 limits, sometimes recclessly. Have a very big purge on phone users, seems to be very prevalent with truckers.
If the "Health & Safety experts" had their way, then the red flag would be back.
Money is not really needed for safety projects if people behave in a reasonable manner.”
by icemaiden, notts
Friday, July 30 2010, 8:07PM
“cutting funding doesn't go hand in hand with an increase in accidents.
perhaps taking some of the idiots who deem it clever to exceed speed limits and general drive with reckless abandon; off the road will reduce the number of accidents/incidents”
by RobS, Goole
Friday, July 30 2010, 9:36AM
“For an objective and reasoned comment, interview a seven year old. Labour parasites have invented more non-existent job roles than you could make up writing a comedy show. By far the biggest safety issue for those on two wheels (other than being hit by other vehicles) is the poor state of road surfaces and dangerous potholes. I'd also love to know how much damage all the 'road calming' measures do to vehicles. We have enough sleeping policemen in the Humberside force already.”
by Lincslass, Scunthorpe
Friday, July 30 2010, 8:56AM
“And the simple answer to Glover Road congestion problems?
A relief road connecting Kingsway to West Common Lane with access to both college car parks with ample bus lay by's. This would get a lot of traffic and buses [which block the roads] off Glover and West Common Lane [and off Lloyds for bus parking]
Instead NLC wastes money on a cycle path with several sets of lights on the Kingsway a speed ramp at bottom of hill on Cliff Gardens [cars/ambulances can't use this road in icy weather now] Oh and tarmacking Ridgeway to create a cycle path. Which is used by very few cyclists.
Then lets cause further congestion and mayhem by narrowing car lanes off the Queensway roundabout!
Money has been spent/wasted where it benefits the fewest people and the so called improvements inconvenience the majority.”