Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to the Road Safety Strategy, published on 7 January, what additional funding and resources they will allocate to (1) the police, (2) local authorities, and (3) other partners, to ensure a swift and effective post-crash response.

The Road Safety Strategy outlined a new safe system approach to road safety that includes consideration of any post-crash response. We’re continuing to recruit more police, with 3,000 more neighbourhood police officers on our streets by March and we are abolishing Police & Crime Commissioners – so much needed funding can go into frontline policing including post-crash responses. Also £2.7m is allocated to policing under the Roads Policing Innovation Programme this year and the next two. Ultimately however, it is up to local police forces to decide how best to deploy their resources and this funding.

Every road collision resulting in a fatality or serious injury leaves victims devastated so it is important that victims receive the support they need. This government will be increasing funding for victim support services year on year, from 2026 to 2029. In total, government will be investing £550 million in victim support services over the next three years – the biggest investment in victim support services to date.

The Ministry of Justice has committed to reviewing the Victims’ Code, a practical statutory guide for victims of crime, including victims of road traffic offences. Under the Victims’ Code, all victims are entitled to be given information about and be referred to victim support services by the police to help them cope and recover from the impact of a crime. Further, the Office of the Victims’ Commissioner has undertaken work to commission additional research to explore the victim journey for road traffic collisions and support for victims.