Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe has announced a new £500,000 fund for initiatives tackling road safety, in a bid to reduce the numbers of people killed and seriously injured on the county’s roads.

The grant funding is designed to promote new schemes that complement the existing work of the police, fire and rescue and highway authorities. A special information event for prospective bidders is being organised next month, ahead of the opening of the bidding process.

The fund will support initiatives which help to change driver, rider and pedestrian behaviour to reduce risk-taking, protect vulnerable road users, and provide enhanced road safety awareness. Multi-agency and collaborative projects will also be welcomed.

Backing for the scheme comes from funds from driver safety and speeding awareness courses, meaning that those who break the law will be helping to directly fund schemes to alleviate anti-social and dangerous driving.

“In 2018 there were 35 people killed and 320 people seriously injured on roads in Warwickshire. I am determined to reduce these numbers and ensure that our county is as safe as it can be for all road users and pedestrians.

I know that road safety is a concern for everyone and I want to make sure that it is clear that it is a major priority here in Warwickshire.  The police, fire and rescue services, local authorities and community safety partnerships already play a key role in road safety but I want to encourage even more to be done and to find innovative projects that can make a real difference. 

This new money will be in addition to the work that is already ongoing to tackle anti-social and dangerous driving and I am keen to encourage the public, road safety organisations and voluntary groups to come forward with their suggestions for how it can be spent.”

Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe

Successful bids will need to be innovative and go over and above what is already being provided by the police, fire and rescue and local authorities.

Find Out More At The Road Safety Workshop

To help launch the fund and give prospective bidders an understanding of the grants available, network with other road safety organisations and help the Commissioner build more detailed knowledge of the kinds of schemes which could be of benefit in Warwickshire, a special Road Safety Workshop is being organised.

It will take place on Friday 12 April at Warwickshire Police’s Leek Wootton headquarters from 9am to 12pm.

All interested parties are invited to attend, though pre-registration is vital as space is limited. To register your interest in attending, please email events@warwickshire.pnn.police.uk or for more information contact Chris Lewis on 01926 412322.

It is anticipated that the Road Safety Fund will open for grant bids in May.