GWENT police have welcomed the first ever road safety strategy for Wales. The strategy aims to reduce the total number of people killed or seriously injured on Welsh roads by 40 per cent by 2010.

In Gwent last year, 25 people were killed on the roads. The new strategy includes researching the links between child pedestrian casualties and social deprivation, establishing a Welsh Road Safety Forum to advise on road safety, and setting up a website.

Minister for the environ-ment, Sue Essex, who launched the campaign, said: "For far too long road safety has been seen as someone else's problem.

"But as road users each and every one of us is responsible for our safety and that of others.

"Our behaviour on the roads means that we are all part of the road safety problem and solution.

"This strategy is seeking to ensure that everyone, either as individuals or organisations, plays a part in implementing the actions needed to improve safety on our roads."

Chief Inspector Peter Fouweather, of Gwent Police, added: "Gwent Police, along with other organisations, was included with the formation of the strategy that supports measures to reduce casualties on the roads and improve road safety education for all road users.

"Gwent Police supports the strategy fully and in conjunction with partner agencies we will be working together to implement the strategy in the coming years.

"We have already seen a reduction of four deaths on Gwent's roads from 29 in 2001 to 25 in 2002 but this strategy will help to reduce this figure even further.

"This is a very supportive document in relation to casualty reduction and will have a meaningful effect in the near future."