Launch of first all-county Tipperary Road Strategy

Tipperary County Council, in conjunction with its partners, the Road Safety Authority (RSA), Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), An Garda Síochána (AGS), Tipperary Fire and Rescue Service and the HSE/National Ambulance Service, has launched a strategy for road safety in Tipperary.  

This is the first all-county Road Safety Strategy for Tipperary and covers the period 2018-2020. It is based on the Government Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020 and sets the ambitious target of reducing fatalities and serious injuries to 4 and 10 respectively per year in County Tipperary by 2020  This will require a reduction of 69% on the 2016 figures and requires a co-ordinated approach to road safety promotion.

The Mission Statement contained in the strategy is to create a greater awareness of road safety through all our stakeholders with the aim of reducing the number, severity and life-changing impact of road collisions, thereby making County Tipperary a safer place for all road users.

The strategy will examine specific local issues relevant to Tipperary. It offers a strategic direction for road safety in Tipperary in terms of Education, Engineering, Enforcement and Evaluation. This requires a co-ordinated approach between all the stakeholders to provide a focus on collision and casualty reduction in the county and to try to improve overall safety levels within our communities.

It is the sincere hope of all the stakeholders that the continued focus on Road Safety in County Tipperary as part of this Road Safety Strategy will contribute further to collision and casualty reduction in the county over the lifetime of the strategy.

The strategy also encourages all members of the community to play an active part in reducing fatalities and injuries on Tipperary’s roads by taking responsibility for their own behaviour as road users.

In launching the strategy, Councillor Phyll Bugler, Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council  states:
“Road safety is a shared responsibility and there is a developing culture of road safety amongst road users. Critical to success will be the level of interaction with all road users, so as to continue the marked change in personal behaviours and attitudes and bring about further responsible road user behaviours in order to achieve a safer road environment.”

Chief Executive of Tipperary County Council, Mr Joe MacGrath, stated:
“The challenge has been set to raise Ireland’s road safety performance to that of the best performing countries in the world. This joint strategy sets out the collaborative approach to improving road safety and the targeted actions to be delivered throughout County Tipperary. Significant progress can be achieved through a solid strategy of enhanced co-operation on education, engineering, enforcement and evaluation.  I would like to acknowledge the work of all the stakeholders in developing this strategy.”

Chief Superintendent Catherine Kehoe, An Garda Síochána, in welcoming the launch of the Road Safety Strategy, stated that “this strategy recognised the need for a shared approach to reducing deaths and serious injury on our roads through collaboration with other key agencies focusing on four elements: Education, Engineering, Enforcement, and Evaluation.”

As a lead agency, An Garda Síochána’s Traffic Mission Statement is to “Develop a National Culture of Safe Road Use”.  “This three-year strategy aligned to our Divisional Policing Plan sets out our commitment to safe road use in the county.”