Road User Safety Forum set to be established
The Department of Transport is encouraging road users to apply for appointment to the Road User Safety Forum. Road safety advocates are also being encouraged to join.
The RUSF has been created to provide insight and advice to road users which “may assist with decision-making on prioritising road safety actions”, according to the Department of Transport.
It was also confirmed that “members of the RUSF will include people who represent a variety of users of the road network in Ireland as well as road safety advocates”.
The Road User Safety Forum is set to be established in order to support the development of the Phase 2 Action Plan which underpins the Government’s current Road Safety Strategy, which runs from 2021 to 2030.
Phase 1 of the Action Plan, which runs from 2021 to 2024, is almost complete and Phase 2 is expected to be published in early 2025. This will cover the time period from 2025 to 2027.
The Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Jack Chambers welcomed the establishment of the Road User Safety Forum by stating, “In my role, I have the privilege of regularly engaging with road safety advocates and experts. I am struck by their passion for and dedication to this important cause, and I am consistently impressed by the proposals that they bring forward for how we can make our roads safer”.
“Many of these proposals, I am pleased to say, are being advanced by my Department, its agencies, or other stakeholders in the sector”.
“As we develop our action plan for the 2025 to 2027 period in the months ahead, it is crucial that we gather the insights and perspectives of a diverse range of road users to ensure we move towards our 2030 targets with a comprehensive road safety plan in place”.
CEO of the Road Safety Authority, Sam Waide also released a statement to say, “I welcome the establishment of a Road User Safety Forum. The establishment of this forum underscores our shared commitment across Irish society to prioritising safety on our roads and protecting the well-being of all users”.
“By bringing together this forum, all road safety partners have a unique opportunity to listen to road users and to collaborate, innovate, and positively drive change across Phase 2 of the Road Safety Strategy, a collective approach which will make our roads safer for everyone. As CEO of the RSA, I am also excited to see the impactful initiatives, perspectives and solutions that will emerge from the forum specifically in relation to the work of the RSA”.
