One of our main priorities here in the Highways Section is to reduce the number of accidents and casualties is South Gloucestershire.
However, by calculating the number of accidents before and after we carry out each scheme, we can also work out the value to the community of each scheme, in terms of the number of accidents prevented.
We use a 3-year 'before' and 'after' period to allow for yearly fluctuations.
How much does an accident 'cost'?
Current government figures estimate that the average value to the community of preventing an accident is over £64,000. This value takes into consideration:
- The cost of damage to vehicles and property
- The cost of police and the administrative costs of accident insurance
- Loss of earnings, national insurance contributions etc.
- Ambulance costs and the costs of hospital treatment
- Human costs (represents pain, grief and suffering to the casualty, relatives and friends, and for fatal casualties, the intrinsic loss of enjoyment of life)
So, how much have we saved?
The following table provides information about the cost and accident savings for all the schemes designed specifically to reduce accidents in the financial year 2003/04. This is because 3 years' of 'after' accident data is now available for these schemes.
The 16 schemes listed below account for a saving of 56 accidents over a three-year period. This equates to a saving to the community of £3,143,300
£64,000 - (the cost of one accident) x 56 (the number of accidents saved) = £3,584,000. If we delete the total cost of all the schemes (£440,700) we are left with a figure of £3,143,300.
|
|
Accidents 3 years before |
Accidents 3 years after |
| Scheme |
Cost (£) |
Ksi |
Slight |
Total |
Ksi |
Slight |
Total |
| Sundridge Park, Yate-Traffic calming (speed cushions) and 20mph zone |
107600 |
1 |
8 |
9 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Flaxpits Lane, Winterbourne-Traffic calming (speed cushions) and 20mph zone |
35000 |
0 |
7 |
7 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
| Rodway Road area, Patchway-Traffic calmig (speed cushions) and 20mph zone |
46000 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
| Anchor Road, Kingswood-Traffic calming (speed cushions) |
21500 |
0 |
5 |
5 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
| Courtney Road, Kingswood-Traffic calming (speed cushions) |
40000 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Stowel Hill Road, Tytherington-Traffic calming interactive sign, overrun areas) |
57700 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| B4055 Blackhorse Hill junc Over Lane-Anti-skid surfacing |
9000 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
| M5 J17 roundabout, junction with Merlin Road-Anti-skid surfacing |
4000 |
0 |
8 |
8 |
0 |
5 |
5 |
| B4461 Vattingstone Lane-Anti-skid surfacing |
6500 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| A4174/M32 w/b exit-Anti-skid surfacing |
4500 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| B4058 Iron Acton Bypass jnc Bristol Road-lining amendments |
3000 |
2 |
5 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| B4059 Latteridge Road-Signing improvements at layby |
1100 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| A432 Badminton Road/Park Lane Kendleshire-minor junction improvements |
800 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
| High Street/Broad Street Chipping Sodbury-pedestrian & environmental improvements |
77000 |
0 |
10 |
10 |
0 |
5 |
5 |
| A403 Severn Beach-Speed limit reduction, signing/lining modifications |
15000 |
3 |
9 |
12 |
1 |
6 |
7 |
| A431/Longbeach Road, Longwell Green-pedestrian refuges |
12000 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Totals |
440770 |
11 |
78 |
89 |
2 |
31 |
33 |
*FYRR stands for 'First Year Rate of Return'. This represents the percentage saving on accidents within the first year after the scheme was completed.
If a scheme has a FYRR of 100% or more, it means that the scheme paid for itself in accident savings within one year or less.
Example:
The Sundridge Park traffic calming scheme resulted in a saving of 8 accidents over three years - representing an annual saving to the community of £170,666 (£64,000x8/3).
The cost of the scheme was approximately £108,000, which means that the scheme paid for itself in accident savings within one year.