Authorities in Greater Manchester have set a commitment to eliminate all death and life-changing injury on roads in the region by 2040. 

The 'Vision Zero' project has been proposed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), and is currently in consultation stage.

The GMCA is a devolved body, run jointly by leaders of Greater Manchester's 10 councils (including Stockport) and Mayor Andy Burnham. 

Almost 10,000 people have been killed on Greater Manchester's roads in the past 10 years - the largest proportion (31 percent) being pedestrians. 

The GMCA's proposals argue that as well as saving lives, the Vision Zero project would encourage more walking and cycling (because roads would be safer); reduce congestion (due to fewer collisions); and save money (by reducing medical, police and property damage costs). 

As a target, the Vision Zero plan aims for a 50 percent reduction in road fatalities by 2030 (Image - Nub News)

How does the GMCA propose to achieve this goal? 

The Vision Zero outlines five proposals which could help bring the number of road deaths down to zero:

• Designing roads in such a way that risk of collision (or severity of collision) decreases. This could include railings along pavements, greater separation of different road users, and "creating a safe shared space on quieter streets".
• Stricter enforcement of speed limits
• Enhancing safety of road users: The GMCA suggests this could be done by encouraging more people to wear seatbelts, and by "educating drivers on the consequences of dangerous driving and inappropriate speeds". 
• Helping vehicle owners and operators to choose the safest vehicles and safety features.
• Improving post-collision response: this could be done by investing more in specialised incident training, and in-depth examination of recent incidents. 

A public consultation is currently open on the proposals, where residents can give feedback. You can do so HERE until Sunday 10 March.

As a member of the GMCA, Stockport Council will ensure the targets for Vision Zero are being met locally (Image - Alasdair Perry)

How have proposals been received?

Speaking of the proposals, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said: "Road deaths and collisions should not be seen as an inevitable consequence of using our roads; we don't accept this for any other mode of transport, so it is time to stop accepting it on our roads.

"Embracing a Vision Zero approach and having safer streets is key to [...] enabling more people to walk, cycle and wheel on our roads."

However, Cllr Lisa Smart, Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Hazel Grove, said there was more to be done; she argued that changes of such scale can only come about if the authority changes its approach to installing speeds cameras at known danger spots. 

Cllr Lisa Smart, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Hazel Grove (Image via Lisa Smart)

 "I am sick and tired of being pushed from pillar to post, with neither Safer Roads Greater Manchester nor the Department of Transport being prepared to step up and change this approach, and each blaming the other", Cllr Smart said. 

"Over a thousand people signed the petition we submitted to both Safer Roads GM and the DfT last year – people know how important this is to keeping people safe, so why can't the people in charge? 

"Time and again when I talk to people who live around here, they raise road safety as something that really worries them. It really shouldn't be difficult to say 'this is a location where we've had too many near misses – let's step in before someone is killed'."

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