Vision Zero

Almost 10,000 people have been killed or suffered life-changing injuries on Greater Manchester’s roads in the last 10 years. Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has now endorsed a draft Vison Zero Strategy for the city-region. It aims to eliminate road death and life-changing injury by 2040, with a target to achieve a 50 per cent reduction by 2030. The intention is to increase safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all.

Development of the Greater Manchester Vison Zero Strategy and Action Plan has been led by Safer Roads Greater Manchester Partnership, made up of the GMCA, the 10 Greater Manchester local authorities, Transport for Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, and National Highways.

Strategy and Action Plan

On 29 November 2024, Greater Manchester's leaders endorsed the Vision Zero Strategy and Vision Zero Action Plan.

The Vision Zero Strategy sets out Greater Manchester’s long-term commitment to eliminating road deaths and life-changing injuries by 2040. It also details the theory that underpins the Safe System approach which is crucial to achieving our target.

View the Vision Zero Strategy (PDF, 4.8MB)

View the Vision Zero Strategy - text only version (Word, 85KB)

The Vision Zero Action Plan sets out the actions that will be taken over the next three years to help us achieve our long-term goal.

View the Vision Zero Action Plan (PDF, 3MB)

View Vision Zero Action Plan - text only version (Word, 79KB)

An Easy Read version of the Strategy and Action Plan is also available.

View the Vision Zero Strategy and Action Plan - Easy Read version (PDF, 343KB)

Engagement

Between February and March 2024, we asked individuals and organisations who live and travel in Greater Manchester to share their views on the draft Vision Zero Strategy.

The survey encouraged respondents to share their personal experiences and thoughts on the city-region’s roads.

This included whether they felt safe crossing the road as a pedestrian, have suffered the loss or life-changing injury of a loved one in a road traffic collision, or are prevented from walking, wheeling or cycling for fear of being involved in a collision.

Over 1000 people shared their views and experiences. Feedback suggested the top three areas of improvement on the city-region's roads include:

Improving road maintenance
Reducing anti-social driving behaviours
Suitable punishment for dangerous driving

Responses to the draft Vision Zero Strategy helped develop the second phase of engagement on the draft Vision Zero Action Plan.

The survey for the draft Vision Zero Action Plan was live between 16 May and 27 June with over 700 people sharing their thoughts.

Responses to both these draft documents helped shape the final versions of the Vision Zero Strategy and Vision Zero Action Plan.

You can read more about this on the 'We asked, you said, we're doing' section of the Transport for Greater Manchester website.

About Vision Zero and the Safe System approach

Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and life-changing injuries, while increasing safe, healthy and equitable mobility for all. First implemented in Sweden in the 1990s, Vision Zero has been adopted in other areas across Europe, the United States and the UK. In the UK, Vision Zero has been adopted in several local authority areas, including regions neighbouring Greater Manchester like West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Lancashire and the Liverpool City Region.
Greater Manchester’s Vision Zero Strategy looks to adopt the Safe System approach to road safety. A Safe System is one where people, vehicles and the road infrastructure interact in a way that secures a high level of safety for all. While it is inevitable that there will always be road traffic collisions, adopting the Safe System approach means that the impact of a collision can be minimal, saving lives and preventing life-changing injuries.

Join the conversation on social media #VisionZeroGM

Email Safer Roads GM on SaferRoads.Group@tfgm.com