MPs CALL FOR ACTION ON ROAD SAFETY

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 9th Aug 2007

Local MPs are calling on Ministers to review road safety in Cornwall after it ranked amongst the worst areas in the country for road casualties.

According to figures released by the Department of Transport today (Wednesday), 7461 road casualties were recorded in Devon and Cornwall between March 2006 and March 2007, placing Cornwall 6th out of a list of 49 areas, behind London and Manchester. 83 people were killed.

The figures come just weeks after the Transport Minister admitted to Julia Goldsworthy MP that, despite the high number of accidents on Cornwall's roads, his department had not discussed the matter with Cornwall County Council.

Commenting, Ms Goldsworthy said:

"I hope that the publication of these figures will make the Government sit-up and take notice of Cornwall's poor road-safety record. There have been too many tragic accidents in my own constituency, with the most recent only this week. It is clear that much more needs to be done to tackle the problem and raise awareness of how dangerous Cornwall's roads can be."

Central Government funding is used by the County Council to implement improvements to the roads to reduce casualties, but most of the money needed to run awareness campaigns and educate people on road safety has to be raised through Council Tax.

MP for Truro & St Austell Matthew Taylor added:

"Ministers need to support the Council to help them bring down the high number of people involved in accidents. Much of the road network is rural, making it difficult to negotiate. Unless the Government provides adequate funding that allows the Council to make the roads safer and teach people how to use them wisely Cornwall's road safety record will remain one of the worst in the country."

ENDS