Assembly calls for a Road Safety Investigation Branch

The London Assembly has paid tribute to the 95 people killed on London’s roads last year as it called on the Mayor to urgently prioritise bringing forward his Vision Zero Action Plan 2.

Members also recognised the 2024 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on 17 November, and Road Safety Week which this year runs from 17 to 23 November.

In a motion agreed today, the Assembly asked the Mayor to raise road safety campaigners’ demands for the establishment of a Road Safety Investigation Branch, equivalent to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, with the new Government.

Caroline Russell AM, who proposed the motion, said:

“It’s important that today the Assembly recognised all road deaths in London including those that happen in bus stations that fall outside of the recorded statistics.

“Every week, two families will receive the devastating news that their loved one has been killed on London’s roads while every year, thousands more people are injured in collisions. Behind each telephone call, each police visit, lies a tragedy that ripples through our communities.

“That’s why I’m glad the Assembly supported my call that just as we investigate every rail accident with forensic precision, we owe the same duty of care to those Londoners killed and injured on our roads.” 

Bassam Mahfouz AM, who seconded the motion, said:

“The loss of a life on our roads impacts on loved ones, families, and friends. Most of these deaths are preventable and it's the reason I got into politics over 25 years ago and have campaigned for safer streets ever since. Sadly over 120 people were killed on our roads across London last year, our hearts go out to all of those affected, and so it is time to redouble our efforts to achieve our vision of zero deaths by 2041.

“As we approach World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims and Road Safety week which runs from the 17 to 23 November, I want to thank the efforts and contributions of the charity Brake and all those involved in supporting the reduction of road crash victims and reduce road deaths and serious injuries in road traffic collisions. 

“I also want to thank our emergency services for their tireless efforts at each crash scene to try to prevent deaths on our roads.”

The full text of the motion is:

This Assembly recognises the 2024 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on 17 November.

We also recognise Road Safety Week which this year runs from 17 to 23 November and was founded by the charity Brake, who work tirelessly to support road crash victims and reduce road deaths and serious injuries in road crashes.

As an Assembly we would like to pay our respects to the 95 people who were killed on London roads last year, and offer our condolences to their families, friends and communities.

We also mourn the 25 people who also lost their lives but are not included in the police record of collisions that have led to death and injuries (Stats 19), including those killed on private roads and in private car parks.

And we regret the 3,615 people who were seriously hurt, many of whom will have suffered life-changing injuries.

We would like to thank Brake, the Sarah Hope Line, road danger reduction campaigners Road Peace, Action Vision Zero and the Road Danger Reduction Forum for all their campaigning work in supporting Vision Zero and supporting victims of collisions on London’s roads, and their families.

We call on the Mayor to positively engage with these campaigners and charities and their calls and ask him to raise their demands for the establishment of a Road Safety Investigation Branch, equivalent to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, with the new Government.

We also ask the Mayor to urgently prioritise bringing forward his Vision Zero Action Plan 2.