Local authorities are today being urged to apply for a new grant fund aimed at improving the safety of local roads.

Councils applying to the £120,000 Small Grants Funding Programme will be awarded between £10,000 and £30,000 to support projects aimed at testing ways to improve road safety.

Eligible projects include pilots, expanding successful trials across a new area, and/or the evaluation of interventions. They should also have the potential to be brought to scale.

‘We are working towards a vision of zero deaths and serious injuries on UK roads. We want to make the roads safer for all users,’ said Sally Lines, chief executive of Road Safety Trust.

‘By adding the option to apply for small grants in addition to our more extensive funding options, we hope to open up opportunities to greater numbers of organisations working in road safety.

‘The programme was designed after reviewing our first four years of funding and listening to the views of stakeholders. We identified a need for funding for smaller, local projects with a practical focus.

‘We are looking for measurable interventions that reflect local priorities and show a proposed link to reducing casualties either directly or through clear interim measures.’