iRAP IN THE UK
Learn how iRAP is transforming road safety across the UK with data-driven assessments and solutions
United Kingdom RAP
The International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP) is a world leading system for measuring and improving road infrastructure safety, giving countries a practical way to build safer roads and reduce preventable deaths.
The Road Safety Foundation (RSF) leads the United Kingdom Road Assessment Programme, providing leadership for this evidence-based Safe System-aligned programme that provides a framework for improving the safety of the nation’s roads. As the UK sister charity to the global iRAP initiative, RSF delivers strategic direction, ensures technical excellence, and drives the development of tools, training, research, and advocacy that underpin the programme’s success.
RSF’s leadership is recognised by iRAP as exemplary, reflecting its long-standing commitment to raising standards and championing innovation in road safety. This coordinated approach is essential not only for engaging a broad range of stakeholders—from national policymakers to local authority engineers—but also for fostering new thinking, sharing best practice, and unlocking funding opportunities for life‑saving road improvement schemes. For local authorities in particular, RSF’s guidance and advocacy play a crucial role in turning safety insights into practical, funded interventions that protect communities and reduce harm on the road network.
Comment from Rob McInerney – Chief of Future Impact for iRAP
‘United Kingdom RAP is a world-leader and an example for others to follow in mobilising the local partnerships needed to identify and eliminate high-risk roads and save lives. With local leadership and ownership via the Road Safety Foundation, and partnerships with all the key road owners, industry and research partners in the country, they work together to create safer roads.
The United Kingdom RAP partners are also leaders in innovation and integration ensuring that the free iRAP tools and resources are adapted and made fit-for-purpose for local needs. United Kingdom RAP makes these enhancements available for the mutual benefit of all iRAP partners worldwide contributing to iRAP’s global vision for a world free of high-risk roads.’
Local roads
RSF works with local authorities to improve the safety of local roads by using crash risk mapping to prioritise and scope investment, through assessing the safety of new roads, through developing new schemes for existing roads through the route review process and by providing tools to improve the results where new developements are introduced on the network. RSF provides advice and assistance with embedding iRAP and Safe System into policy and approach and works to establish Safe System Fatal Review Panels.
Strategic and Major Roads
RSF works with strategic road operators and major road network owners to help ensure performance of these important roads is monitored and tracked, through modelling mass action interventions across whole networks, through assessing the safety of new roads, through developing new schemes for existing roads through the route review process and by providing tools to improve the results where new developements are introduced on the network. RSF provides advice and assistance with embedding iRAP and Safe System into policy and approach and works to establish Safe System Fatal Review Panels.
