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.

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."