Government considering “zero deaths” road safety policy

The UK may adopt a Swedish road safety policy once said by its own creator to be incompatible with motorcycles.

Claes Tingvall, the author of Vision Zero, said there was “no room for motorcycles” in it. Now UK Government is deliberating whether to introduce the policy here from 2010, when existing road safety targets expire.

Road safety minister Jim Fitzpatrick told MPs that ideas up for consideration included “whether we want to use the Swedish model of going for zero deaths”.  He spoke as the Commons Transport Committee met to discuss road safety.

Tingvall has softened his stance since his earlier comments, which were made on TV, but Vision Zero continues to divide opinion because no-one can explain how its key aim of eliminating deaths altogether can be achieved while motorcycles are permitted.

The Motorcycle Action Group has called the policy “whacky” and “blinkered”.
But a road built in line with the policy, featuring bike friendly crash barriers, was hailed as a milestone for motorcycle safety by the Federation of European Motorcyclists’ Associations.