The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) is calling on the Government to align with EU rules on pedestrian safety.

The General and Pedestrian Safety Regulations (GSR) were adopted by the EU a year ago and feature a package of 15 measures, including enhanced direct vision in HGVs, automated emergency braking systems, and intelligent speed assistance.

PACTS has published a briefing - Still-unvaccinated-GSR-one-year-on-2023 - and, with support from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Transport Safety, is demanding immediate action.

Endorsing these measures, says PACTS, will not only secure the welfare of UK road users but also bolster the UK automotive sector, which exports most new cars to the EU, where these standards are now mandatory.

The GSR technologies are crucial for the advancement of connected and autonomous vehicles and come at minimal cost to the taxpayer or consumer, it argues.

There is evidence that vehicle owners purchasing new EU-compliant models in Great Britain are having to pay additional costs to access the fitted-as-standard safety features, it said.

Despite the Government consulting on new vehicle regulations in November 2021 - The Future of Transport Regulatory Review – PACTS says that there is an urgent need to act and reassert the country’s leadership in transport safety.

Jamie Hassall, PACTS executive director, said: “The UK played a key role in the development of these vehicle safety measures but has now been left behind by not adopting them or indeed increasing the requirements. 

“This means it will take longer for these features to appear in our fleets and help reduce the number of deaths on our roads. 

“It appears that the UK market is being asked to pay more to have these life saving features activated while these are free in Europe.

“The adoption of the GSR measures could kickstart a new era of road safety in the UK, at virtually no cost to the government or motorists.

“The benefits of these measures play a key role in reducing the harm caused to pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.

“The true cost of their delayed introduction and leaving them as an optional paid-for measure has a knock-on effect: otherwise preventable collisions will persist and more lives be lost.”

Hassall continued: “The Government published The Road Safety Statement 2019 A Lifetime of Road Safety that covers ‘Safe Vehicles’ so needs to act to deliver this.  These measures are also key to the safe introduction of autonomous vehicles.

“We echo the calls from the APPGs for Transport Safety, for the Government to at least match the standards that now apply in the European Union.

“The UK should utilise its newfound independence to implement these life-saving measures more swiftly and comprehensively."

Established more than 40 years ago, the UK Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) promotes evidence-based solutions to achieve safe transport for all.