Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve road safety in County Durham.

Local authorities are responsible for the management of local roads, within the rules set by Government. It is for the local council to decide what measures may be appropriate in their local areas.

The Safer Roads Fund is an innovative, non-competitive programme that provides funding for the most high risk rural ‘A’ roads in England. To date 99 roads have been funded amounting to £185.8 million - including £2.94 million this year for the A690 in County Durham.

These 99 schemes can include designing new junctions and roundabouts, improving signage and road markings, landscape management, road resurfacing, improved crossings, and cycle lanes. The Safer Roads Fund schemes are estimated to save approximately 2,600 lives and serious injuries throughout their 20-year economic life, as well as reducing congestion, improving journey times, and lowering emissions.

The safety of our roads is an absolute priority for this Government and will support our health mission. We are committed to delivering a new Road Safety Strategy – the first in over a decade. We will set out next steps on this in due course.