Red routes

1.0 Introduction to the Red Route initiative

Red Routes

Through in-depth data analysis the most collision affected routes are designated Red Routes and are subject to an investigation by a working group comprising expert practitioners from Kier Highways and our Safer Roads Alliance partners. This group meets on a regular basis to survey and profile Red Routes using evidence led processes. Their remit is to reduce road casualties through engineering, enforcement, and educational interventions.

The criteria for Red Route designation is four killed or serious injury (KSI) collisions or more within a 1000 metre stretch of road in a rural environment, or within 500 metres in an urban area, over the previous three-year period.

To date, over 75 Red Routes have been profiled, many of which have benefited from a range of effective measures which means that a significant proportion are no longer ‘active’ due to reductions in collision rates.

Through constant data monitoring new sections of the network with developing collision histories can be quickly identified and designated as ‘Routes of Emerging Concern’ status for on-going scrutiny.

Evidence led approach

To carry out studies, Kier Highways maintains a database of all personal injury collisions (PICs) within North Northamptonshire which have come to the attention of the police, on both the local and trunk road network. Information is stored from as far back as the beginning of January 2000.

Collision data analysis is the key element in identifying ‘at risk’ road user groups and the most collision affected sections of the road network. Activity can then be directed to where it is most effective.

For each financial year approximately six routes are selected to be studied by the Red Route Working Group. The selection process prioritises new routes, followed by any re-activated routes and then the list is finalised by selecting those long term active Red Routes that have not been assessed for the longest period.

These routes are then initially profiled using the most recent full three years collision data with any subsequent in year collisions also included. For each route a full collision analysis and engineering study is carried out and a report prepared which maps out any potential measures that could bring about a reduction in casualties on the route. The engineering report is then discussed by the Working Group and any enforcement or education opportunities are explored and taken forward.

Due to National Highways developing their own priority listing, the Red Route Group no longer reviews collisions occurring on the National Highways managed network.

During Phase 19, it was decided the routes that formed part of a longer route were to no longer be monitored. A list of these routes can be found in Chapter 7.0.

During Phase 22 it was decided that routes will no longer be monitored once they have been inactive for at least five years and haven’t been a Flashing Amber in the last three years. A list of these routes can be found in Chapter 7.0.

Statutory duty

By virtue of S.39 Road Traffic Act 1988 North Northamptonshire Council, as the Local Highway Authority, has a duty to carry out studies into collisions occurring on roads it is responsible for and to take action both in terms of Education, Training and Publicity (ETP), engineering and other measures to prevent accidents.

National perspective

British Road Safety Statement - Department for Transport

The British Road Safety Statement now takes us into the next and most crucial phase, of casualty reduction in Britain by setting the short, medium and long term agenda. It is mainly aspirational but recognises the importance of the Safe System approach pioneered in Sweden and the Netherlands. This will require a fundamental transformation in the road safety profession to fully understand, adopt and implement the principles but there is evidence that it could be the catalyst to unlocking the present state of inertia and restore momentum in driving road casualties down.

The Safe System is a targeted approach that ultimately aims to eliminate fatal and serious injury on the road network. It recognises that road users are fallible and inevitably make errors in judgment that may lead to a collision. It also acknowledges that there are limits to the force that the human body can withstand without causing death or serious injury. These limitations are directly linked to the type of collision and the speed of the impact.

Individuals have a responsibility to act with care when using the network, but a shared responsibility exists with those who design, build and manage the roads to prevent collisions resulting in serious injury or death. In other words, the road system should be designed to take account of these errors and vulnerabilities so that collisions are survivable.

The British Road Safety Statement promotes a ‘five pillar’ strategic approach for managing road safety and creating a truly safe system:

• Road safety management
• Safer roads and mobility
• Safer vehicles
• Safer road users
• Post-crash response

Note: The new framework does not set any numerical targets for road casualty reduction.

How the service is delivered

Working in partnership with the Northamptonshire Safer Roads Alliance, our strategy is designed to achieve reductions in road casualties locally by delivering behavioural change interventions through the five E’s of road safety (Education, Enforcement, Engagement, Engineering and Evaluation) to best effect through:

• Road safety management
• Partnership working
• Being intelligence-led and evidence based
• Maximising the use of technology
• Maximising community involvement
• Learning from the best
• Maximising use of the media
• Consistent communication between stakeholder agencies
• Generating additional income to fund extra work

Key challenges

Our key outcome and over-arching objective is to reduce the instances of death and serious injury on the road network.

Significant casualty reductions were achieved during the early years of our strategy with vehicle technology and legislation providing considerable influence together with our own effective interventions directed towards collision cluster sites, speeding motorists, and anti-social driving habits.

Elements of these still prevail but it was always anticipated that a plateauing effect in casualty numbers would occur as they reached unprecedented low levels and we experience ever diminishing returns on road safety investment. Therein lays the challenge in how to make a significant and sustained impression upon greatly reduced, but relatively static, casualty numbers. Our collaborative focus will continue to be:

• the adoption of the Safe System approach
• improving safety on rural roads
• protecting vulnerable road user groups
• reducing inappropriate and illegal road user behaviours, including:
  • Speeding
  • Drink and drug driving
  • Careless and dangerous driving
  • Seatbelt compliance
  • Mobile phone distraction
• improving our knowledge and broadening involvement in solving road safety problems
• working within funding constraints and future uncertainties Sideway-force Coefficient

Routine Investigation Machine (SCRIM) and Grip Test

Around 30% of all personal injury collisions annually occur during wet surface conditions and, over a period, the surface will gradually lose some of the characteristics associated with grip which means that there is an increased risk of skidding collisions. As a result, it is universally accepted that skid resistance is the one road surface characteristic which has the best-established relationship to collision risk and prevention.

Therefore, as part of the Red Route process, we commission Derbyshire County Council Laboratory to undertake Grip Testing at specific locations where we have identified a history, or emerging history of wet surface collisions. As an intelligence led process this information allows us to rule in, or out, the surface friction value as a potential contributory factor. It also means that we can be more reactive in terms of further investigation and any subsequent preventative measures.

2.0 Phase 27 revisions to the Red Route list

Following a review of the North Northamptonshire road network, three new Red Routes and three Routes of Emerging Concern (routes of concern but not meeting intervention criteria) have been identified.

The three new routes:

• Red Route 212 - A6900 Rockingham Road, Kettering
• Red Route 213 - A4500 Ecton to Earls Barton
• Red Route 214 - A47 Duddington

The three Routes of Emerging Concern to be monitored:

• A427 between Brampton Ash and Stoke Albany
• C171 George Street / Studfall Avenue, Corby
• U6215 Farndish Road / High Street, Irchester

As a result of the review of the 38 Phase 26 routes, one has been re-activated, six have become in-active, six are being monitored as Flashing Amber Routes and two are to no longer be monitored.

The one re-activated route:

• Red Route 182 - Eastern Wellingborough

The six de-activated routes:

• Red Route 67 - A509 Pytchley Road, Kettering
• Red Route 157 - B645 Higham Ferrers to Shelton Road, Raunds
• Red Route 202 - C194 Rockingham Road, Corby
• Red Route 204 - A5193/C146 Broad Green, Wellingborough
• Red Route 206 - A509 Park Farm Way, Wellingborough
• Red Route 207 - C181 Deeble Road, Kettering

The six routes being monitored as Flashing Amber routes:

• Red Route 10 - A43 / A4300 between Stanion and Weldon
• Red Route 67 - A509 Pytchley Road, Kettering
• Red Route 165 - A5028 Bedford Road / Duck Street. Rushden
• Red Route 185 - A6 between Irthlingborough and Finedon
• Red Route 202 - C194 Rockingham Road, Corby
• Red Route 204 - A5193/C146 Broad Green, Wellingborough

The two Red Routes to no longer be monitored:

• Red Route 145 - C170 Sower Leys Road, Corby
• Red Route 188 - U5054 Earlstrees Road, Corby

3.0 Phase 27 active Red Routes with casualties for 2022-2024

Ranking is calculated on a weighting system based on severity and number of collisions and casualties, Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) and length of route.

*Route runs across NNC and WNC boundaries

4.0 Phase 27 active Red Routes

Route descriptions, route length, KSI Casualties/KM and All Casualties/KM (including comparison to Phase 26).

*Route runs across NNC and WNC boundaries

5.0 All Red Routes with current status and review date(s)

Key: (Bold) Active Red Route; (Bold/Italic) Flashing Amber; (Non-Bold) Inactive Red Route

The table below indicates the history of all 39 monitored, local authority managed Red Routes. It details when they became active and then any subsequent changes to that status. Additionally, it shows when a Red Route has been action planned which means it has been reviewed by the Red Route Group and intervention measures have been agreed. The end column shows the number of years since it was last activated / became inactive. Since Phase 22 (2020-21) routes that had been inactive for at least five years and hadn’t been a Flashing Amber Route in the last three have now stopped being monitored.

*Route runs across WNC and NNC boundaries

6.0 All Red Routes listed by road number

*Route runs across WNC and NNC boundaries

7.0 All dropped Red Routes listed by assigned RR number

Routes removed from monitoring as they form part of a longer route.

Routes removed due to being inactive for more than five years.

8.0 Active Red Routes by parish, electoral division and fire station areas

*Route runs across WNC and NNC boundaries

9.0 Roundabouts and junctions for future consideration

Listed below are those roundabouts and junctions that have experienced five or more injury collisions in the 2022-2024 period. These locations will be considered for a full study providing they do not form part of an existing Red Route that has been recently reviewed or one that is scheduled within Phase 27. Additionally, no roundabouts that fall on the National Highways network will be reviewed by this group.

*To be reviewed during 2025-26

10.0 Meeting schedule for 2025/26