London MEP: 'Too many people dying on our roads'

4.51.31pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 8th Apr 2004

Sarah Ludford MEP with Dimitrios Theologitis, Head of Unit Road Safety and Technology, European Commission at the signing ceremony in City Hall

LibDem Euro-MP Baroness Sarah Ludford, the only London MEP to attend the London signing of the European Road Safety Charter yesterday in City Hall, is calling for more urgent action to tackle fatalities on London roads.

"Every year 40,000 people die on Europe's roads. In London alone, 300 people a year are killed in traffic accidents. If that number died in one single incident like a plane crash, Londoners would be demanding safety action. Why are we so accepting of unnecessary road deaths?

"The tragedy behind the numbers is the individual losses suffered by families, and the blighted & dangerous streets where it is unsafe for children to play or pensioners to walk.

"I urge London councils to sign up to this charter and its target of halving road deaths by 2010, using any measures in their power such as traffic calming to reduce the number of accidents.

"London's MEPs can support the Charter by pushing for more Euro-laws on car design to protect pedestrians. We still see too many 'bull bars' in London when they are ridiculous - anyone seen any bulls here recently? Such a lethal addition to the front of a car should be outlawed.

"Working together, with safer roads locally and safer design internationally, we can stop road killings being the major cause of death for under 40s."

Note: Specific objectives of the Charter include:

1. To contribute to the objective of reducing road deaths in Europe by at least 50% by 2010.

2. To share information, increasing understanding of the causes of collisions and how to prevent them

3. To develop and implement technologies for reducing the consequences of road traffic collisions

4. To develop infrastructure designed to minimise the risks of accidents and their gravity and to encourage safe driving