Waterford Council launches road safety action plan
Paul Johnston, Senior Engineer WCCC; Thomas Connell, Safe Routes to School Programme; Paul Malone Waterford Ambulance Service; Sean McKeown, Chief Executive WCCC; Mayor of Waterford City and County Cllr. Jason Murphy; Jemma Jacob Road Safety Officer WCCC; Eilish McDonagh, Senior RSA Officer; Mick Fanning, Waterford Ambulance Service and Gabriel Hynes A/Director of Services WCCC.
Waterford City and County Council, in conjunction with the Waterford Road Safety Working Together Group (WRSWTG), has launched the Waterford Road Safety Action Plan 2024-2030.
In collaboration with An Garda Síochána, the Road Safety Authority, Health Service Executive and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, the six-year action plan is designed to improve road safety for all road users.
Speaking at the launch, Sean McKeown, Chief Executive of Waterford City and County Council said the objective of the plan is to make roads safer for everyone who uses them.
“From 2013 to 2023, Waterford tragically lost 35 people on its roads," he said.
"In addition, according to the Road Safety Authority, for every one fatality, nine individuals endure life-altering injuries," he added.
"That number can never be low enough. In fact the only acceptable number is zero."
Mr McKeown went on to comment: "Aligning to the 2020 Programme for Government commitment to achieve ‘Vision Zero’ - no fatalities or serious injuries on our roads by 2050 – the Safety Action Plan focuses on several key areas including safe roads, safe speeds, post-crash response and safe modes of transport.”
Meanwhile, Sam Waide, CEO of the Road Safety Authority said: “Ireland has made significant progress over the lifetime of previous road safety strategies. Since the launch of the first ever Road Safety Strategy in 1998, road deaths have declined by almost 70 per cent. None of that progress could have been possible without our key stakeholders working together in a coordinated, strategic way."
“Reducing road deaths and serious injuries by 50 per cent over the next decade is achievable," said Mr Waide.
"Vision Zero by 2050 is achievable. We can do it. Given our road safety journey to date, no target is too ambitious for us," he added.
He said the starting point is recognising that road deaths or serious injuries should not be the price to pay for people's mobility. Mr Waide said that through collective knowledge and experience the objectives of the WRSWTG are to: Make the roads in County Waterford safer for all road users; Increase public awareness of road safety; Promote a collective sense of responsibility towards road safety; Enforce existing traffic legislation, and Improve co-operation between the agencies represented on the Waterford Road Safety Working Together Group while supporting the principles of the National Road Safety Strategy 2020 – 2027.
The Waterford Road Safety Action Plan 2024-2030 is available at Waterford City and County Council offices at Bailey’s New Street (X91 XH42), Civic Offices, Davitt’s Quay, Dungarvan (X35 Y326) and through all libraries in the city and county. It's also available to view on Waterford City and County Council website at www.waterfordcouncil.ie/services/roads-transport/road-safety/
