PCC powers road safety improvements with £150k funding boost
Community action to tackle speeding and anti-social driving is being ramped up thanks to a £150k funding boost by Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews.
The Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland PCC has singled out 23 projects out of a possible 55 to benefit in the latest round of his Community Action Fund focused exclusively on improving road safety – a top concern for the public.
The investment includes the expansion of vital speed monitoring equipment in rural communities, new solar speed camera detection, and the delivery of effective education and awareness intervention to positively change driver behaviour.
Road Safety is one of six key priorities in the PCC’s Police and Crime Plan, which has been shaped by the thousands of residents he engaged with prior to its development.
Among several commitments he made is a pledge to take action to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the region’s roads and to increase enforcement activity to address speeding and anti-social driving including car cruising.
In total, community groups and parish councils requested more than £340k in funding grants through the latest round, with 23 approved projects sharing a total of £151,136k.
Among the beneficiaries is Leicester County Federation of Young Farmers which secured £10k for a targeted, three-phase road safety campaign for members aged 10 to 28 and the wider community to address the disproportionately high number of road fatalities involving young people in rural areas.
In another project, Neurodiversity Support was awarded £10k for its Support Safe Steps: Breaking Barriers project which aims to help participants navigate public spaces confidently through accessible and repeatable learning experiences equipping individuals with practical skills that boost confidence and foster independence.
Warning Zone, meanwhile, received £9,800 to enhance its existing Road Smart Safety Zone with a new interactive projection displaying a short video and sound sequence tripped when the green man appears, reminding children that even when the lights indicate it is safe, they need to stop, look and check before stepping into the road.
And in another project, Ashby Magna Parish Council received £5,735 to replace the parish’s shared speed camera and purchase a new solar speed camera to improve monitoring capabilities.
Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews said: “This Road Safety round was extremely competitive, and the calibre of projects was impressive. Ultimately, difficult decisions had to be made on where to best target support but I’m happy with the scope of the projects.
“Our roads policing officers work tirelessly to manage safety and prevent collisions on our roads, and I know how much they value the support our communities in promoting safer driving practices. This investment will intensify these community-driven activities and provide our local road safety champions with the tools and practical resources they need to keep up the good work.
“I hear from many residents about the anti-social use of cars and the dangers posed by speeding motorists through their villages. These concerns damage community life and impact mental health as well as put people at unnecessary risk. They are community-wide problems that require a partnership approach to solve and this is exactly what my Community Action Fund is about.”
The Community Action Fund forms part of the Commissioner’s exciting approach to community safety which emphasises the power of prevention and partnerships to build safe and prosperous communities.
With the principle of ‘prevention’ at the heart of the PCC’s new Police and Crime Plan, the Commissioner is determined to equip communities with the skills, knowledge, funding and support they need to help residents thrive and stay safe.
The full list of beneficiaries is available at: