A pioneering Safe System Capacity Building Programme, created by road safety specialists Agilysis, to support Transport Scotland, has been recognised with the prestigious Prince Michael International Road Safety Award.
The accolade acknowledges Scotland’s groundbreaking work in embedding the Safe System approach to achieve its objective of eliminating deaths and serious injuries on the roads by 2050. The project has delivered tangible results by combining strong political leadership, advanced data insights, and sustained investment in capacity building across national and local organisations.
Over the past two years, the programme has:
- Trained more than 500 professionals across Scotland through eLearning, workshops, and classroom sessions.
- Developed the world’s first Safe System Culture Playbook, helping leaders grow safety-oriented organisational cultures.
- Produced the Safe System Manual, featuring over 250 evidence-based practice notes from global experts.
- Improved confidence in road safety to help unlock further funding.
Dr Elizabeth Box of ECM Research Solutions independently evaluated the programme's success and highlighted:
“Strong leadership, effective communication, and close coordination between the client and contractor were pivotal in driving the programme forward. Notable successes included the high level of enthusiasm from many practitioners and external experts, the creation of innovative resources, and the integration of the Safe System approach across the road safety sector.”
Feedback from training participants further underscores the programme’s reach and value. Results showed clear improvements in knowledge and understanding of the Safe System. Delegates praised the relevance, structure, and delivery of the content, noting how it reshaped their approach to road safety:
“I used to think that the road to zero KSIs was an unachievable target that was overly ambitious. Now I understand it is not accepting any level of harm on our roads. I.E., always searching for improvement opportunities and advances in safety. Not just blowing casualties off as gross negligence.”
These insights reflect a growing culture of shared responsibility and continuous learning, which are essential foundations for achieving Scotland’s ambitious Vision Zero goal.
Scotland’s approach to integrating leadership, culture, data, and delivery is now being shared with other nations, setting a new global benchmark for Safe System implementation.
“This award reflects the power of collaboration, research, and leadership in building Safe System capability,” said Dan Campsall, Chairman at Agilysis. “We’re proud to support Scotland’s journey towards Vision Zero and to see this work inspiring international audiences.”
