Community Partnerships

Road Safety in Northamptonshire


Facts and Figures

The number of killed and seriously injured (KSI) casualties on Northamptonshire roads in 2018 was the second lowest since records began in 1960. Overall KSI figures increased by just nine from 279 casualties in 2017 to 288 last year, while the number of people killed on the county’s roads fell by almost 30 per cent from 44 to 31 in the same period. While reported injury collisions have fallen from 1068 in 2017 to 1041 last year, casualties who sustained slight injuries increased from 1095 to 1172, and seriously injured figures rose by 22 to 257. Despite this, road safety in Northamptonshire has improved significantly over the last 20 years with more traffic making our county road networks busier than ever before.

Road fatalities and casualties devastate families and communities. Each collision and injury is traumatic for everyone involved. Every person who dies on our roads is one too many and behind each statistic is a grieving family or someone coming to terms with a life changing injury.

Northamptonshire’s Response

The Commissioner is committed to increasing road safety and reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured  in our County by:

  • seeking to develop approaches to road safety that better educate and impact on preventing deaths and serious injuries on Northamptonshire’s roads and
  • working to change driver behaviours where they are a contributory factor in creating danger on the roads

The Commissioner’s Office is an active member of the Northamptonshire Safer Roads Alliance (NSRA) which brings together the Northamptonshire Police, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS), Northamptonshire Office of Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) and Northamptonshire Highways representing Northamptonshire County Council. The shared aim of the NSRA is:

  •  To provide safer roads, public footpaths and cycleways within the county, to enhance the safety and security of all road users
  •  To reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries on Northamptonshire’s roads

The Alliance focuses on building a partnership approach to develop a strategy to deliver across the five ‘E’s:   Engagement – Education – Engineering – Enforcement – Evaluation

The NSRA has produced the Northamptonshire Strategic Road Safety Plan 2021-23 which can be found here.

Through education and enforcement, the Safer Roads Alliance will continue to run campaigns and operations to reinforce this message and encourage road users to change their driving behaviour.

Northamptonshire Police Safer Roads Team (SRT)

SRT is made up of Police Officers, Police Staff and Special Constables. The core role of SRT is to provide a countywide speed enforcement service using our fleet of 6 mobile enforcement vehicles. SRT detect numerous offences in addition to speeding. Such as driving whilst using a mobile phone, not in proper control, not wearing a seatbelt etc. SRT is responsible for the assessment and creation of new enforcement locations, responding to community concerns and collision hot spots across the County. The operation is data led so we rely heavily on speed and collision data we collect to ensure any enforcement we undertake is proportionate. SRT run the Community Speed Watch (CSW) programme, which is a volunteer programme, allowing members of the community training and access to speed detection equipment. CSW is active in over 60 communities with over 500 volunteers. The programme aims to increase the dangers of speeding through education. Drivers detected receive a police warning letter. The Police Officers and Special Constables within SRT focus on the more detailed investigations and enquiries, dealing with more serious offences of perverting the course of justice, managing the Fatal Four activities and supporting the Force operationally.

East Midlands Operational Support Service (EMOpSS)

The East Midlands Operational Support Service coordinate road policing functionality across Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire. Dedicated Roads Policing Teams are based in Northamptonshire and are supported by additional roads policing activity from armed policing teams. Roads Policing officers work alongside other EMOPSS teams, Safer Road Teams and in support of the Road Safety Partnerships in supporting both local and national initiatives across the region.

Road Safety Community Fund

Supported by the Northamptonshire Safer Roads Alliance, the Commissioner has launched a Road Safety Community Fund with grants of between £500 and £5,000 for initiatives that support the Northamptonshire Strategic Road Safety Plan.

Fund priorities include:

  • Speed Reduction
  • Anti-social Road Use (i.e. racing, risky manoeuvres)
  • Distraction Driving (e.g. use of mobile phone)
  • Drink or Drug Driving
  • Road Victims and their Families
  • Use of seatbelts, including Child Restraints and Seats
  • Educational Initiatives Leading to Positive Behaviour Change

Further details can be found here: https: //www.northantspcc.org.uk/community-grants/road-safety-community-fund/

Community Speedwatch

We are also working closely with communities to help reduce levels of speeding as part of the Northamptonshire Community Speed Watch, and to help reduce unsafe, illegal parking.

Voice Roadharm

Voice Roadharm helps people who have been affected by any kind of road incident and give specialist support and advice to those who have been bereaved, injured or witnessed a road collision. This includes supporting friends and family of those who have either been killed or injured on the roads. The service is free and confidential and is available to anyone who lives in Northamptonshire or has had an accident on the county’s roads. Further details can be found here: http://voicenorthants.org/roadharm/about-us/

Useful contacts

Office for the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner

Website: www.northantspfcc.org.uk

Northamptonshire Highways

Road Safety Manager – John Spencer jspencer@kierwsp.co.uk

Road Safety Education – Keith Millard kmillard@kierwsp.co.uk

Safer Routes to School – Simon Mills smills@kierwsp.co.uk

Road Safety Engineering – Steve Barbers barber2@kierwsp.co.uk

Highways Engineering – Stuart Hoskins shoskins@kierwsp.co.uk

Data/statistical information – Simon Mills smills@kierwsp.co.uk

Websites: www.kierwsp.co.uk and www.northamptonshire.gov.uk

Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service

District Liaison Officer (Education and Youth Team) – Tina Collett tcollett@northantsfire.org.uk Website: www.northantsfire.org.uk

For further information on road safety, please visit: www.rospa.com/roadsafety www.think.direct.gov.uk www.brake.org.uk

Northamptonshire Police

Head of Response (including Safer Roads) Chief Supt. Chris Hillery chris.hillery@northants.pnn.police.uk

Website: www.northants.police.uk