Safer roads in the West Midlands are an essential requirement for all residents, businesses and visitors travelling through the region. During the period 2015-2017, there was an annual average of 1,048 people killed or seriously injured (KSIs) on West Midlands roads, with the socio-economic cost of these incidents in the region totalling £320m.  During 2021-2023 there was an annual average of 1,049 KSIs resulting in a societal cost to the region in 2023 of £444m.

Excessive and inappropriate vehicle speed was a key contributory factor in a third of all KSIs.18-25 year olds are disproportionately represented in the casualty statistics with males accounting for 75% of all road fatalities.

In November 2024, West Midlands Combined Authority Board endorsed the Regional Road Safety Action Plan 2024-2030 (RSAP), which consists of 23 evidence-based actions aimed at reducing road harm for all road users.

Action 1 of the RSAP is to ‘Work towards a new multi-year Operational Agreement for Average Speed Enforcement’. The aim of the Agreement is to enhance and increase speed enforcement activity across the region, maximising road safety and societal benefits, and ensure financial sustainability.

Led by Chief Constable Craig Guildford, the Regional Road Safety Partnership consisting of West Midlands Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner (Simon Foster), seven constituent local authorities and the Mayor of West Midlands Combined Authority (Richard Parker), commissioned a review into the effectiveness of the average speed enforcement (ASE) scheme, along with the development of a new business case following HM Treasury’s 5-case model.

Results of the independent study on effectiveness showed that at 27 ASE locations, personal injury collisions had reduced by 35.2% since implementation, compared with a 0% reduction at locations where no speed enforcement had been present. This was statistically significant. Vehicle speeds had also reduced at the ASE locations and the control locations, although less so at the latter.

Assessing data on operational costs, camera activations, disposals (fixed penalty fines, national driver offender retraining scheme courses and prosecutions) and confirmed plans for expansion, headline results of the business case showed that the scheme demonstrably reduced road harm and realised an annual socio-economic benefit of £15m. However, the scheme is operating at a financial deficit.

A survey of police forces in the UK, undertaken as part of the development of the business case, highlighted that despite achieving many road safety benefits, the majority of speed enforcement schemes operate at a deficit, reducing their ability to further reinvest in the improvement of road safety.

This presentation will highlight the processes undertaken to better understand the situation for ASE in the Combined Authority region. It will also outline the reasoning behind a new Joint Working Agreement for ASE and provide a summary of how the work of the Partnership has transformed, but not perfected, delivery of the scheme.

Darren Divall, Regional Road Safety Manager, Transport for West Midlands

Darren Divall’s role at TfWM is to enable, support and facilitate road safety improvements across the West Midlands Combined Authority region. As Lead Coordinator for the 16 Regional Road Safety Partnership organisations, Darren ensures delivery of a robust and fit for purpose strategic approach aimed at achieving a 50% reduction in the number of killed and seriously injured casualties by 2030.

His current focus is on the delivery of a Regional Road Safety Action Plan based on robust statistical evidence and community based insight, along with a new multi-agency Operational Working Agreement for average speed enforcement.

Darren began his road safety career in 1998 and has worked for three UK local authorities as well as TRL. He has over 20 years’ international experience, formulating multi-sector road safety strategies and action plans, conducting road safety management capacity reviews, data collection and analysis, identifying solutions for vulnerable road users, delivering behaviour change and education programmes and building capacity at all levels through research, technical notes and training.

Darren is a former Chairperson of the Institute of Road Safety Officers and Head of Road Safety GB Academy. He is also a judge for the Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards and represents TfWM on the PACTS Safe System Forum.

Superintendent Gareth Mason, West Midlands Police

Gareth Mason is a Superintendent with West Midlands Police, bringing over 20 years of service to policing and public safety.

Gareth has worked across a wide range of operational and leadership roles, from frontline response through to complex investigations and firearms command.

He led on the creation of a Joint Working Agreement across the 10 strategic stakeholders in the West Midlands and has transformed the Roads Policing and Camera Enforcement department to deliver better public safety outcomes.