Transport Insights

The Government appears to have missed its own target of publishing its new and widely trailed road safety strategy “this year”.

I have written extensively on this blog about the varying commitment to publish the strategy, as well as the boast from ministers that it will be “the first for ten years”.

As early as 11 December – less than two weeks ago – asked directly by Tory MP Andrew Griffith when the strategy would be published, transport minister Lilian Greenwood said:

The Government intends to publish the Road Safety Strategy this year.

But, with Parliament sitting and just a day before Christmas, there has been a wobble, with Greenwood telling Green Party MP Ellie Chowns this week:

My Department is developing our road safety strategy and we will set out more details in due course.

As I have noted in relation to smart motorway evaluation reports, ministers sometimes say they are working on things when they have simply chosen not to publish them, but the idea that officials are still putting the strategy together – or ministers are arguing over the content with No 10 – is mind blowing.

Greenwood also told Labour MP Juliet Campbell:

We are considering a range of policies under the new Road Safety Strategy; the first for ten years. Details on this will be published shortly.

I think that you can safely say that if ministers say they intend to do something and then don’t do it, you have failed.