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“Road traffic injuries are a major but neglected global public health problem.”

World Health Organisation

Action Vision Zero helps communities campaign for safe roads and streets where people want to walk, cycle and spend time. Achieving a vision of zero fatal and serious road casualties is entirely possible in the long term, but requires a rethink of the balance between people and motor vehicles. This is critical, not just for our safety, but for social justice, increasing physical activity, reducing air pollution and slashing carbon emissions.

1,782 people were killed and 25,484 were reported to be seriously injured on UK roads in 2018. The majority of these victims were “vulnerable road users”, or those walking, cycling or riding motorcycles.

This level of death and serious injury would be a crisis in any other mode of transport or part of society. Unfortunately it has come to be accepted on our roads.

The Vision Zero concept, pioneered by Sweden in 1997, challenges the inevitability of road danger and puts human health at the centre of how we design and manage our roads and streets. It has since been adopted by cities including London, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Paris, Berlin and Stockholm.

While it is easy to set Vision Zero ambitions, it has been much harder to deliver sustained results. Initial sharp declines in road fatalities following the introduction of Vision Zero policies in Sweden and New York have levelled off in recent years.

Action Vision Zero helps to take the concept to the next level in the UK. We do this by providing evidence, proven policy ideas and one-to-one support to communities, campaigners and elected representatives.

This is about reducing the impact of motor vehicles by demanding:

Slower speedsMaximum 20mph speed limits where people and vehicles mix and compliance with those limits.
Safe junctions & crossingsDirect crossings on desire lines with short waiting times and enough time to cross.
Safe space for cyclingProtected cycle lanes on main roads and low-traffic neighbourhoods.
Less traffic Fewer vehicles means fewer casualties. Achieving this requires more walking, cycling and public transport, more efficient and sustainable delivery of goods, and road user charging.
Safe vehiclesSpeed limiters on all new private cars; retrofitting speed limiters on all working vehicles; safe HGVs including Direct Vision Lorries and Bus Safety Standards.
Safe behaviours and enforcement An end to careless and dangerous driving. Education plays a role in achieving this, but clear and visible police enforcement is a priority.

We offer a wide range of resources and one-to-one help that is available free of charge. Please contact Jeremy and Emma from Action Vision Zero here.

Action Vision Zero is supported with funding from the Foundation for Integrated Transport.


Blog Feed

AVZ Briefing – London self-reported (online) road casualties

Dec 2023 To download this briefing as a pdf click here Key points – London 2022 Table 1:  London reported Serious Injuries (2022)   Total Self-reported % self-reported Pedestrians 1,194 169 14% Cyclists 1,020 325 32% Motorcyclists 873 85 10% Car occupants 501 25 5% Bus or coach occupants 139 6 4% Other vehicle occupants …

AVZ Briefing – Reported Hit and run casualties in London – Dec 2023

To download this briefing as a pdf click here Key points In hit and run collisions in London: Action Vision Zero urges the police to ensure these crashes are investigated thoroughly with outcomes published to reassure victims and the public that offenders are caught. See our Remain and Report campaign for our wider work on …

AVZ Blog – 20mph speed enforcement soars in London

December 2023 To download this blog as a pdf click here Key points London Speed Enforcement   2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Jan-Aug 2023 Four year change 20mph 38,979 59,903 58,944 104,259 232,742 186,929 497% 30mph 44,545 63,631 43,208 62,137 174,001 122,246 291% 40mph 29,561 40,262 131,517 161,492 141,901 124,611 380% 50mph 37,031 50,918 26,165 …