West Yorkshire’s road safety strategy is marking its second year with figures showing genuine, if uneven, progress — serious injuries down, but deaths sadly up on the year before.
The Vision Zero strategy, launched in Bradford in 2024, aims to reduce all road deaths and serious injuries in the region to zero by 2040, bringing together the police, councils, National Highways and victim support services. Nationally, the number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads rose by 4% last year; in West Yorkshire, the same figure fell by 4%.
The anniversary is being marked with a free family fun day at People’s Park, Halifax, on Thursday 13 August, with bike safety checks, emergency service vehicles and craft activities for children.
Community drives change
Community involvement has driven much of the change. Operation Snap submissions — footage of bad driving sent in by the public — rose 10% over the past year, with around 7,500 drivers held to account. Community concern site enforcement, triggered by public reports of speeding, captured nearly 65,000 offences.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “Everyone deserves a safer West Yorkshire and it’s great we’re making progress.”
Members of the public can sign the Vision Zero Pledge online, including in memory of a loved one.
