Ministers from around the world published the Ministerial Declaration on Transport Safety and Security today at the International Transport Forum (ITF) in Leipzig. All agreed that road safety was a major issue that needs to be addressed. European Commissioner for transport Violeta Bulc said that the current EU Road Safety Figures are “socially unacceptable” and welcomed the Declaration.

Within the Declaration it is stated that “Safety and security are of fundamental concern for transport” including the “citizen’s right to travel without fear ". ECF’s Bernhard Ensink said “This is of major importance in the context of cycling safety and has to mean that all people can also cycle without fear. Improved road safety not only saves lives but also attracts new cyclists, fear of cycling is the major barrier to more cycling.”

The Declaration encourages ‘’ …an integrated approach to reduce or eliminate road traffic fatalities and serious injuries backed by intermediate voluntary targets with regular monitoring to guide actions’’. ECF believe that this should include clear targets to decrease the risk to cyclists of crashes with motorized vehicles.

The Declaration also said that members should “support efforts and initiatives that take into account the need for safe transport for everyone across all means of transport, notably vulnerable travellers such as pedestrians, cyclists, children, older and disabled people”

Bernhard Ensink Secretary General of ECF, who was present at the ITF launch in Leipzig, said “I particular welcome the support for transport safety for pedestrians, cyclists, children, older and disabled people. This is a clear call for Members states to focus on improving their safety. Cycling advocates should hold Member states to account and remind them of this statement of intent from their countries representatives”

This was backed up by the Declarations statement that Members should “promote involvement of civil society in the elaboration of road safety policies and initiatives, as well as public campaigns to raise awareness” As members of civil society and established organizations working on the safety of cyclists, this is a clear call to incorporate the work of European Cyclists’ Federation and the World Cycling Alliance in the safety process around the globe.

As always new technologies to improve road safety was also included, with the Declaration seeking the “…rapid deployment of advanced safety technologies on all types of conventional motor vehicles.” ECF would very much support this, starting with the European Parliament and Council voting to keep Intelligent Speed Assistance in the upcoming changes to EU safety Type Approval, as well as Emergency braking and providing safer lorries for interactions with cyclist and pedestrians.

Here is ECF document on a road safety action plan for EU https://ecf.com/sites/ecf.com/files/ECF_position_RSafety_Programme_2020-2030.pdf

ECF Position Paper on the Road Infrastructure Safety Management

ECF Position Paper on Vehicle Safety and the review of the General Safety and Pedestrian Protection Regulations here