Police and Crime Commissioner Darryl Preston has today formally taken on the role of Chair of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Road Safety Partnership – the Vision Zero Board.
The PCC brings four decades of frontline policing and policing governance experience to the role and is already working at the forefront of road safety across the county.
The Vision Zero Partnership is made up of statutory and non-statutory agencies who have signed up to an ambition to prevent road deaths across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and significantly reduce the severity of injuries and subsequent costs and social impacts of road traffic collisions.
Darryl took on his new role as Chair at the Partnership’s Board meeting today (Monday 29th September) where details of a new £20k Road Safety Fund were also unveiled.
The scheme will award small grants of up to £3,500 to statutory organisations to help them address local road safety priorities and to support the Partnership’s work to reduce deaths and serious injuries on the county’s roads. A total of £20k will be available up to the end of March 2026.
Darryl said: “I am proud to be appointed as Chair of the Vision Zero Partnership and continue our tireless efforts to eradicate serious injuries and fatalities on our roads.
“There are still far too many people killed or seriously injured on our roads. The consequences of reckless or poor driving can be devastating for victims, families and communities. As a former police officer, I have witnessed the trauma and heartache first-hand - experiences that drive my passion to make a difference.
“We must do everything possible to reduce the risks and hold drivers accountable for their behaviour behind the wheel.
“Improving road safety is not a goal we can achieve alone. It is a shared responsibility, and together we will make our roads safer for all.”
Road safety has remained a key focus for the Commissioner since he was first elected in 2021 with the PCC committing significant investment in education to promote a safer driving culture and save lives.
The PCC funds a Community Speed Watch Coordinator (CSO) from the Casualty Reduction Fund to oversee the Speed Watch scheme across the county and empower residents to contribute to the Partnership’s safety ambitions.
The aim is to reduce speed in areas where there is an existing issue and make drivers aware that excessive speed is socially unacceptable while also educating drivers about the dangers of speeding and addressing community concerns.
Since April this year, 11 new Speed Watch groups across the county have launched, with three more waiting for training and two groups requesting further information. To date, there are a total of over 100 groups in operation across the county.
The Commissioner has also funded a Casualty Reduction Police Officer post to lead on educational and preventative road safety work across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
The PCC has also confirmed continued funding for three fleet vehicles used by the Vision Zero Specials Team to deliver roads safety awareness in speeding hotspots. By supporting education and awareness activity, the PCC firmly believes drivers are less likely to be involved in a serious or fatal collision.
The first project approved for the Commissioner's Road Safety Fund is to enable BikeSafe workshops to be promoted more widely, including to attract younger motorcyclists. Through BikeSafe, trained police motorcyclists share their knowledge and expertise to encourage motorcycle riders to progress to post-test training.
