Six in ten local council responses rate West Northamptonshire roads as unsafe, report reveals
Six in ten parish and town council responses have described their local roads as unsafe, according to a new West Northamptonshire Council report.
The striking finding has emerged from work carried out ahead of the authority's draft Road Safety Strategy, which is now open for public consultation.
According to the document, 60% of responses from parish and town councils rated their road network as either unsafe or very unsafe.
The findings highlight widespread concerns about speeding, pedestrian safety, heavy goods vehicles and the difficulties people face when walking or cycling.
Residents and community representatives have also raised concerns about insufficient pedestrian crossings and difficulties accessing bus stops safely.
The council says these issues affect people's confidence in using the road network, even where collisions have not been recorded.
Meanwhile, a separate 2025 National Highways & Transport survey covering West Northamptonshire found that 90% of respondents considered road safety very important.
The draft strategy acknowledges that safety concerns cannot be measured through collision statistics alone.
Near misses, unreported incidents and people's perceptions of danger are also important factors when identifying locations requiring improvements.
The council wants to take a more preventative approach, using community feedback alongside collision data to identify potential risks before serious incidents occur.
Its report also reveals that 134 people were killed or seriously injured on local roads during 2025.
Councillor Richard Butler, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “Everyone should be able to travel safely, no matter how they choose to do it.”
He added: “This strategy sets out our ideas for making roads safer, but we want to hear what people think.
“Your views will help us shape the final plan, so I would urge everyone to take part in the consultation.”
Proposals include reviewing speed limits, improving pedestrian crossings and working more closely with communities to identify safety concerns.
The consultation closes on December 6, 2026, with residents invited to submit their views through the council's website.
A virtual drop-in session will also be held on November 23, between 10am and 11.30am.
The final strategy is expected to be considered by the council's cabinet in spring 2027, following consideration of the consultation responses.