Small community projects that could dramatically reduce road deaths and injuries are being offered the funding needed to make them happen.

People are being invited to put forward suggestions for low-cost projects that could be carried out in their area, preferably with the support of their town or parish council.

The funding, a total of £100,000 for Devon and Cornwall, will come from the Vision Zero South West road safety partnership, chaired by the Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez. The partnership’s members include senior police and fire officers, leading clinicians, councillors, the ambulance service and National Highways.

Commissioner Hernandez said: “Vision Zero South West has committed to reducing fatal and seriously injured casualties by 50 per cent by 2030. We believe that no one should be injured as a consequence of using the roads in Devon and Cornwall – but we can’t achieve our collective goals without the help of local communities.”

The partnership’s vice-chairman is Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council’s cabinet member for highways management.

He said: “This is a really good initiative and a great opportunity for communities to give us their ideas on how to make their roads safer.

“Using their local knowledge, I've no doubt many communities will have an affordable proposal that could make a big difference to their lives and save the lives of others.

“I hope that we can support these communities to ensure that this funding is directed to where it can have the biggest impact and we look forward to receiving their applications.”

The ‘Call for Ideas’ is looking for projects that require relatively small amounts of money but offer ‘big wins’ when it comes to preventing death and serious injury on the roads.

Vision Zero South West is particularly interested in proposals to reduce accidents among vulnerable road users including young drivers, older drivers, cyclists, motorcyclists, pedestrians and business drivers.

Ideas can be submitted via the Vision Zero South West website at https://visionzerosouthwest.co.uk/call-for-ideas/

Entries close on November 1, 2021 and will be scrutinised by a panel of road safety experts on the Vision Zero South West board. Successful applications will be announced on November 21.