Road Crash Victims Remembered

A special service to remember those who have died or been injured on our roads will be held in Liverpool this week. RoadPeace has organised the remembrance service, in the concert room of St George's Hall, part of the charity's World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.

It takes place at 1.30pm, on Sunday, 18 November 2018, following which guests will be invited to the memorial for crash victims in neighbouring St John's Gardens, where 5 doves will be released, to mark the 5 people who are killed each day on our Country's roads.

Pauline Fielding, from Liverpool, organises the annual event for RoadPeace, where she turned to for support after her son Andrew was killed in 1994 at the age of just 18, in a crash caused by a driver who did not stay at the scene and who was never traced. She is now a trustee of the charity and says the service, which will be led by the Rector of Liverpool, Crispin Pailing, is a poignant way for people to pay tribute as well as raising awareness of how dangerous driving costs lives.

Pauline said:- "We invite all those who have been bereaved or injured in road crashes, together with those who support us, to join us for this event. In every death there are so many people affected and this service offers the families and friends of those who have died or been injured the opportunity to come together and remember their loved ones.  It is also a chance for us to give thanks to the emergency services for their support and to highlight this unacceptable death toll and reflect on what can be done to prevent further tragedies."

The Lord Mayor of Liverpool Cllr Christine Banks, Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Ian Critchley and other dignitaries will attend the event. Councillor Banks said:- "To lose a loved 1 in a road crash must be devastating. The sudden, brutal way that victims are taken must leave families with an overwhelming sense of shock and grief.  It is clear that these incidents have a long lasting effect on the lives of everyone involved. We can only hope that by raising awareness of the tragic aftermath of any road crash and sending a strong message about road safety, more of these horrendous incidents can be prevented. I am honoured to have been asked to take part in this ceremony which serves as a tribute to all those who have lost their lives and illustrates how we stand shoulder to shoulder to those left behind."

Assistant Chief Constable Critchley added:- "It is an honour to attend this service. As well as allowing us the opportunity to reflect on the lives of those lost to road traffic collisions and show support for their loved ones, it serves as a sober reminder of the devastating impact road traffic collisions have on families and communities across Merseyside and beyond.  Through policing our roads and working with our partners, communities and road-users, our commitment to making our roads safer and reducing serious incidents is absolute."

The event in Liverpool is 1 of many taking place across the globe as part of:- 'RoadPeace's World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.' It was 1st introduced in 1993 and quickly spread to other European countries, before being adopted by the United Nations, in 2005.

New crash map reveals the North West's riskiest roads

A new interactive:- 'Dangerous Roads Map' from motor insurer Ageas, using analysis from the:- 'Road Safety Foundation (RSF),' has revealed Britain's riskiest roads. The A682 between Barrowford and the junction with the A65 was rated as the highest risk road in North West England. You can explore the riskiest roads in your area using Ageas' interactive map.

The Region also includes 1 of the overall top 10 highest risk road; the A6 Between the junction with the A589 in Lancaster and junction 33 of the M61156, and 1 of Britain's most improved roads; the A535 Between the junction with the A537 and the junction with the A50 in Holmes Chapel.

North West England is ranked as the second least risky Region across Britain when looking at the average risk of a fatal or serious crash. The Region has seen a 6% reduction in crash risk with societal costs of crashes in the North West amounting to ₤1.1bn per year.

Ageas and the Road Safety Foundation are together calling for an immediate investment of ₤75 million from the government, and a further ₤75 million annually for 5 years thereafter to improve the riskiest roads. It's estimated that the immediate investment of ₤75 million on these roads would prevent an estimated 1,100 fatal and serious injuries over the next 2 decades while the investment of ₤450m could prevent as many as 5,600 deaths or serious injuries over the same time. The value of prevention would be around ₤2 billion.

Progress on reducing road deaths has stagnated since 2011, with 1,793 people killed on Britain's roads in 2017, the highest number since 2011. If Great Britain had been on track to halve road deaths within this decade, in line with international targets, an extra 2,549 people would not have lost their lives between 2010 and 2017.

The Safer Roads Fund was part of an investment package announced in 2016 by the Department of Transport to upgrade 50 of England's most dangerous local A-road sections. This ₤100 million is projected to prevent 1,450 fatal and serious injuries over the next 20 years, with a value of prevention of ₤550 million. And every ₤1 spent is projected to have societal benefit of ₤4.40 by not only addressing the human cost but by limiting hidden post-crash costs that include medical, Ambulance, Police, lost output, insurance and damage to property. But this fund hasn't been replenished.

Commenting on the findings of the report, Andy Watson CEO of Ageas Insurance said:- "It's unacceptable that road crashes continue to cost lives. It's also shocking that they cost society ₤35bn each year - that's nearly 2% of GDP and more than we spend on Primary education and GP services combined. It's shocking to see that road users in the North West of England are living with a high risk of death or serious injury as they use the roads in their area. We deal with the devastating aftermaths of serious road crashes every day. That's why we're calling for this investment. Infrastructure safety means much more than just filling in potholes. A reduction in crashes won't just save lives; it'll significantly benefit the economy. Fewer crashes mean fewer insurance claims; and also mean a saving of ₤23.2m that we can pass onto our policy holders."

Suzy Charman Executive Director of the Road Safety Foundation said:- "The reality is that progress to reduce the rate of death and serious injury on our roads has flatlined since 2010. The Safer Roads Fund has allowed the road safety community to demonstrate that investing in road safety engineering treatments really does have life-saving potential, and also stacks up as an investment when compared to other transport initiatives. If we're to get back on track and achieve the shared international goal of zero road deaths by 2050, we need to tackle road casualty reduction with purpose and determination. Continuation of the Safer Roads Fund would be 1 critical way of achieving that goal."

Explore the online 2018 Road Crash Map at:- DangerousRoads.Ageas.Co.UK. View the Road Safety Foundation (RSF) and Ageas Getting Back on Track report online.

Low cost community funerals introduced

LIVERPOOL City Council has partnered with 3 funeral Directors to offer a new low cost service. It has been introduced due to increasing numbers of people struggling with the cost of organising a dignified send off for loved ones. Over the last couple of years there has been an increase in the cost of funerals and the amount of families requiring assistance, and Liverpool City Council has been working closely with local Directors to address funeral poverty across the City.

The community funeral costs up to ₤1,000 and for that fee the funeral Director will:-

► Collect the deceased.

► Provide an oak casket, or similar, with an engraved nameplate, interior and handles.

► Keep the deceased in the chapel of rest.

► Arrange and supervise the funeral service.

Assistant Mayor for fairness and tackling poverty, Councillor Jane Corbett, said:- "A combination of austerity and welfare reforms are making it harder and harder for grieving relatives to give their nearest and dearest the type of final farewell that they would wish to see. What we don't want is people having the stress and worry of going into a lot of debt at a time when they are already feeling emotional and upset. That is why we have teamed up with local funeral Directors who are offering a community funeral at a much lower cost.  These funerals are open to absolutely anybody who wants them, regardless of how much money or savings they have."

It does not include the following costs:-

► Burial fee - ₤1,860 for a new grave (₤840 if family owned)

► Cremation fee - ₤855.

► Medical fee - ₤164.

► Minister or celebrant's fee - ₤190 (approx)

► Additional fees apply for embalming, limousines, floral tributes and newspaper notices.

The following companies are offering the service:-

► Desmond L Bannon Funeral Services.

► Debbie Bennett Funeral Directors.

► Kane Funeral Services.

Managing Director of Desmond L Bannon Funeral Services, Andrew Bannon, said:- "As a long established funeral Directors, we are pleased to be offering a low-cost community funeral for residents of Liverpool.  People always want to give their relatives a fitting send off, but it is really important that there is something to suit families with a range of budgets."

Contact details for the funeral Directors can be found on the Liverpool City Council's website.