Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 16
16
Accepted
DfT's communication of Highway Code changes to the public has been ineffective.
Conclusion
In January 2022, DfT made changes to the Highway Code to prioritise vulnerable road users, including pedestrians and cyclists.37 However, evidence we received from stakeholders suggested that DfT’s messaging around the changes made to improve safety have not been communicated effectively to the public. Stakeholders told us that a lack of investment in wider public engagement elements may have contributed to low public support for active travel infrastructure and poor perceptions of safety. Liverpool John Moores University provided us with examples that demonstrated the impact of insufficient 30 Q26, Q47, Q55; C&AG’s Report, para 1.11 31 Q33 32 Q 55-57 33 Qq 28, 76 34 C&AG’s Report, para 2.4 35 ATE0008, Written evidence submitted by University of Central Lancashire 36 Q17 37 Q15, C&AG’s Report para 3.2 14 Active travel in England funding for community consultation and public engagement on public reception to new infrastructure. New “pop-up” schemes were built in Liverpool with emergency funding during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data it collected showed the contribution of these schemes to high rates of cycling and walking, but some have subsequently been removed due to complaints about the schemes from the public. Stakeholders also noted that a lack of positive role models and national promotion of cycling in England may have contributed to more negative perceptions of active travel.38 Leicester City Council told us that “government has missed opportunities to promote walking, wheeling, and cycling as a sustainable and cost-effective means of replacing car journeys”. For example, it said that government missed an opportunity to endorse walking, wheeling, and cycling as cheaper alternatives to car travel during the rapid cost increases of fuel and electricity following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Increased active travel could have reduced the impact of rising costs on consumers and reduced overall energy demand.39 London Cycling Campaign told us that cycling continues t
Government Response Summary
The government agrees and states the recommendation is implemented, intending to publish a new road safety strategy and explore aligning it with a broader active travel promotion campaign, delivered with local partners. They also detail past campaigns on Highway Code changes, noting increased public awareness.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 4.2 The department intends to publish a new road safety strategy document in due course. This will consider ways in which road safety can be improved for vulnerable road users. The department will explore aligning the publication of this document to a broader campaign that promotes the benefits of active travel. The department will also explore whether communications via local authorities and other delivery partners, such as charitable and stakeholder bodies, can deliver similar messaging. 4.3 The department has previously sought to address safety concerns around active travel by communicating the revisions to The Highway Code to the public. The January 2022 changes to The Highway Code have been communicated via: • a factual awareness-raising campaign in February and March 2022, alerting road users to the changes as they came into effect; and, • a further campaign which ran in summer 2022 and 2023, to help embed the changes and encourage understanding and uptake of the guidance. 4.4 The percentage of road users reporting to know either a little or a lot about the Highway Code changes increased from 36% in January 2022 to 58% in August 2022, with 83% of road users having heard of the changes by August 2022. Going forward, the department will continue to monitor attitudes and behaviours to help evidence the prioritisation of THINK! Campaign activity and the level of future communications investment required.