A new report released launched yesterday has shared the lifesaving impact of England’s Safer Roads Fund, estimating the programme will prevent around 2,700 deaths and serious injuries over the next two decades, and £1.25 billion in social and economic benefits from a £195 million government investment in schemes so far.
The report entitled “Saving Lives on Local A Roads: Safer Roads Fund Update” was prepared by the Fondation pour la sécurité routière which leads the United Kingdom Road Assessment Programme. It was launched at the House of Lords in a high-level event attended by Lilian Greenwood MP, Minister for Local Transport, Peter Swallow MP, dignatories, local governments and road safety stakeholders.
The report highlights the impact of the Department for Transport’s Safer Roads Fund, which was established in 2016 to improve safety on some of England’s highest-risk local authority A roads. It demonstrates how a proactive, Safe System aligned approach to road safety is achieving life-saving results.
Drawing on iRAP risk assessments, route reviews and real-world case studies, the report explains how local authorities have used data-led investment, infrastructure improvements and speed management measures to develop high-value safety schemes.
Rather than relying solely on historic collision data, the programme uses International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) Star Ratings to identify roads with the greatest inherent safety risks, enabling improvements to be targeted before serious collisions occur.
Strong return on investment
The report estimates that the programme will deliver a benefit-cost ratio of 5.3, meaning every £1 invested is expected to generate approximately £5.30 in benefits through fewer fatalities and serious injuries.
The investment has supported safety improvements on 100 high-risk routes, addressing issues such as hazardous junction layouts, roadside hazards and other infrastructure features linked to collision risk.
By focusing on road design rather than simply responding to previous incidents, the programme aims to prevent crashes before they happen.
iRAP CEO Greg Smith who attended the event said, “This isn’t a list of one-off projects. Local authorities across the UK are embedding these methods straight into business-as-usual operations, often linked with active mobility and maintenance programs. Every mile upgraded, every crossing built, and every Star Rating improvement represents real lives protected.”
Moving towards proactive road safety
Beyond physical improvements, the report concludes that the Safer Roads Fund has helped reshape how local highway authorities approach road safety.
The programme has supported wider adoption of the Safe System approach, equipping councils with new skills, analytical tools and methodologies to identify and reduce risk proactively instead of relying primarily on post-collision interventions.
Dr Suzy Charman OBE, Executive Director of the Road Safety Foundation, said the programme demonstrates the value of evidence-led investment.
“The Safer Roads Fund shows that targeted, evidence-led investment can make a real difference – saving lives while delivering excellent value for money. By focusing on the roads where risk is highest, the programme is helping to prevent serious harm and create safer journeys across the country.”
She said the programme’s influence extended well beyond the schemes themselves.
“This has been a truly transformative programme – not just for the 100 high-risk routes improved, but for the way road safety is delivered.
“The Safer Roads Fund has helped build Safe System skills, tools and confidence within road authorities, shifting practice from reacting to crashes to proactively designing risk out of the network. That change in capability is one of the programme’s most important long-term benefits.”
Focus on higher-risk rural roads
Much of the investment has been directed towards rural A roads, where higher vehicle speeds, limited alternative routes and challenging road layouts can contribute to increased collision severity.
The report suggests the programme’s use of iRAP Star Ratings is now influencing broader national thinking around road safety and infrastructure investment.
Supporting the next road safety strategy
The report concludes that continued investment in proactive, risk-based road safety programmes will be essential if the Government is to achieve its long-term ambition of reducing deaths and serious injuries across England’s road network.
It argues that evidence-led interventions, combined with improved understanding of infrastructure risk, should remain central to the forthcoming national road safety strategy.
Speaking at the event, Minister Lilian Greenwood shared that it’s programmes like this are the reason she got into politics – to make a positive change in people’s lives. And that’s exactly what the Safer Roads Fund is achieving.
“As world leaders prepare to head to the Nations Unies High Level Meeting on Road Safety in New York this month, the UK’s Safer Roads Fund is an outstanding example of what could be achieved across the globe in similar programmes,” Mr Smith added.
Councils recognised for outstanding schemes
The report shares case studies of success and two local authority projects were recognised at the launch for delivering significant safety improvements.
The Urban Safer Roads Fund Scheme Award was presented to Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council for improvements on the A4030, a scheme expected to prevent 24 deaths and serious injuries over the next 20 years.
The Rural Safer Roads Fund Scheme Award was jointly awarded to Derbyshire County Council and Sheffield City Council for safety enhancements on the A57, which are forecast to prevent 93 deaths and serious injuries during the same period.
iRAP CEO Greg Smith was delighted to attend the launch, pictured here with Suzy Charman and the local authority winners
The findings reinforce the growing emphasis on designing risk out of the road network before collisions occur, demonstrating how targeted infrastructure investment can improve safety while delivering substantial long-term economic and societal benefits.
Celebrating the day, left to right: Suzy Charman and Kate Fuller, RSF; James Bradford and Julie Sinclair, iRAP; James Bedingfeld, RSF
Article credit: Thanks to Safer Highways for contributed content.