Keir Mather MP welcomes Government’s new strategy to tackle rising road deaths

This week, the Government published Britain's first Road Safety Strategy in over a decade, setting out the most far-reaching reforms to make our roads safer in a generation. The package will include advanced safety technologies for new cars, mandatory eyesight test for drivers over 70, a tightening of laws on drink driving, road safety education for local primary schools, a review of the MOT system, and updated guidance on local speed limits.

As part of the publication, the Government has set a new target to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Britain's roads by 65% by 2035. Welcoming news of the strategy, Keir Mather MP said:

"In our part of Yorkshire, we know all too well about the tragic impact of deaths and injuries on our road. Rural roads can be particularly dangerous, and far too often we see fatal incidents in the Selby area. What informs this strategy is a conviction that a single death or serious injury on our roads is one too many. Locally, road safety has been a top priority of mine, and I'm pleased that the Government has shown its commitment to driving improvements nationally. The strategy is a landmark step, one that reflects the concerns shared with me by local people across Selby and Kippax.

He added: “I am particularly pleased to see that this strategy contains targeted initiatives to improve rural road safety. These reforms will save lives, protect vulnerable road users, and deliver the high safety standards that we all want to see."