Funding to support victims of road traffic collisions

Cheshire residents who have been affected by road traffic collisions will be supported by a specialist charity thanks to funding from the county’s police and crime commissioner (PCC).

PCC David Keane has awarded a £2,000 grant to Brake, the road safety charity, to allow them to support victims and their families across Cheshire.

Last year, the charity supported 11 Cheshire residents whose loved ones had either been killed or seriously injured in road traffic collisions and this funding will allow more local people to be given vital support.

The funding will allow Brake to provide one-to-one support for families who have lost a loved one through specialist bereavement packs which take them through the criminal justice or Coroner’s process.

They will also use the grant to train police officers and local volunteers around how to appropriately support those affected by road traffic collisions.

The funding has come from the commissioner’s Safer Communities Fund which uses the Proceeds of Crime Act (PoCA 2002) to take money from criminals and reinvest it back into the community.

It’s one of 12 grants the PCC is awarding in the run up to Christmas to organisations which deliver community safety projects across Cheshire.

PCC David Keane said: “Road traffic collisions are the biggest killer in Cheshire with 36 people losing their lives on our roads and motorways in 2019.

“This funding will allow Brake to provide much needed support to the 36 families who had their whole worlds completely shattered and the many more that have previously been affected personally by road incidents.

“Furthermore, making our roads safer will continue to be one of my key priorities and in 2021, I’ll be working with the chief constable to develop a new roads policing strategy for Cheshire which will bring in new initiatives to improve road safety and protect Cheshire residents.”

Jami Blythe, development manager from Brake who applied for the funding, said: “Our vision is a world with zero road deaths and serious injuries where everyone moves in a safe and healthy way, as part of our normal day.

“We work with communities and organisations across the UK to stop the tragedy of road deaths and injuries, make streets and communities safer for everyone, and support people bereaved and seriously injured on roads.”