SHROPSHIRE has a higher rate of motorcyclist deaths and injuries than other parts of West Mercia, and many collisions involve people visiting from outside the area, a report says.

In a draft Road Safety Strategy, Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion promises investment to “reduce the risk of harm by targeting those who are most at risk”.

The document says motorcyclists are “heavily represented” in death and serious injury statistics, “particularly in Shropshire”.

The draft strategy will be discussed by the West Mercia Police and Crime Panel next week.

In a foreword, Mr Campion writes: “Too many people in West Mercia are being killed or seriously injured on our roads, lives being cut short and families torn apart.

“I will ensure the police have the right resources that they need and I will hold the force to account for the role they play in improving the safety of our roads.”

The report, prepared by the PCC’s office, says overall injuries caused by road accidents have decreased by 23 per cent across West Mercia, but deaths have increased 33 per cent.

Throughout 2018 there were 2,427 collisions resulting in casualties, and out of these 461 caused serious injury and 53 were fatal.

“Collisions involving cars were most common, and accounted for 72 per cent,” the report says.

“Motorcyclists are a particularly vulnerable group of road users, especially those on motorcycles over 500cc.

“Across West Mercia, 55 per cent of collisions involving motorcycles over 500cc resulted in people being killed or seriously injured.

“Whilst motorcyclists make up only about one per cent of the driving population they are heavily represented in KSI [killed or seriously injured] figures, particularly in Shropshire.

“Here, many of the collisions involving motorcycles involved people that were visiting and live outside of the force area.”

Recommendations in the strategy including engaging with “pre-license drivers” and newly-qualified ones, to foster good habits and “working with highway partners, where appropriate, to ensure the physical environment on West Mercia’s roads is improved”.

The draft Road Safety Strategy will be discussed by the West Mercia Police and Crime Panel – which consists of councillors from the Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and Worcestershire, along with independent lay members – when it meets remotely on Monday, June 15.