A campaign led by Hazel Grove Liberal Democrat MP Lisa Smart is pushing for changes to national rules on installing speed cameras, which could lead to more cameras appearing across Greater Manchester.
Smart has put forward a motion in Parliament urging the government to update its guidance, arguing that revised rules would encourage local councils and regional authorities like the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to introduce speed cameras where problems have been identified ahead of fatalities or serious injury incidents. She is also calling for more funding to help install new safety measures on roads.
Government road safety targets
The UK Government's road safety strategy aims to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65 per cent, and by 70 per cent for children under 16, by 2035. Earlier this year, the government began reviewing how it approaches speed management on roads.
Smart said: "We have had definite progress on this locally, with Greater Manchester taking some note of residents' reports of dangerous locations, but we need a consistent approach nationally and regionally, to make sure no problem locations are missed.
"I have already been speaking to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority about how we can adjust their scoring system to make sure that this happens locally.
"Only this week, Stockport council had to write to the government flagging the unfairness in central government funding of local councils.
"It will be no good changing the guidance if this doesn't come with a fair level of support to make sure councils don't have their hands tied behind their back when trying to support communities, and deliver safer roads for drivers and pedestrians."
Regional and national response
The campaign is being supported regionally. A Transport for Greater Manchester spokesperson said: "We, as part of the Safer Roads Greater Manchester Partnership support the request from Lisa Smart MP that the government address the national guidance on safety cameras.
"We welcome any measure that will support our ambition to reduce fatal and life changing collisions on our roads to zero whilst maintaining safe, healthy, equitable travel for all."
In response, a Department for Transport spokesperson said: "Every life lost on our roads is a tragedy – that is why through our Road Safety Strategy we're taking clear action to make our roads safer for everyone.
"We are supporting local authorities to make the best decisions on managing speed on roads in their areas, with work underway new guidance on setting local speed limits."
