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Thank you for your email to the Highways Agency.
 
If you are reporting a real time incident which requires immediate
attention please call the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123
5000.
 
The Highways Agency is responsible for operating, maintaining and
improving the Strategic Road Network in England on behalf of the Secretary
of State for Transport.  This consists of the Motorway network and the
Major Trunk roads. A map of the roads for which we are responsible can be
found here
[1]http://www.highways.gov.uk/publications/...
 
If your email relates to an issue which is not on
the Strategic Road Network, for example a suburban, local or residential
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should be able to assist you. You can find details of Local Authorities
using the search facility on the gov.uk website
at: [2]https://www.gov.uk/find-your-local-council
 
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Yours sincerely
 
Highways Agency Information Line

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Hi Steve

I have received a copy of your enquiry in relation to what information the
HA holds regarding suicides/attempt suicides on the network.

The Highways Agency record details of those incidents on the strategic
road network that we have been made aware of including all incidents that
Highways Agency Traffic Officers attend.  Incident details recorded will
include what the incident was and other factors such as the type of
vehicle involved. If, based on the available information at the scene, an
incident appears to relate to a suicide/attempt suicide, this will be
recorded as such. For example, if an individual is observed on the wrong
side of the railings on an over bridge.

The police also record details of suicides/attempt suicides, which is
known as Stats 19 however , whilst this data is more robust as it is
evidence based, it only includes those incidents that resulted in a Police
investigation.

Many Thanks

Kathy

Kathrine Wilson-Ellis, Traffic Management Directorate
Highways Agency | Piccadilly Gate | Store Street | Manchester | M1 2WD
Tel: +44 (0) 161 9305529 | Mobile: + 44 (0) 7795 450631
Web: [1]http://www.highways.gov.uk
GTN: 4315 5529

Safe roads, reliable journeys, informed travellers
Highways Agency, an executive agency of the Department for Transport.

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Good Morning,

I have retrieved the stats as requested from the HA Incident Management System (Command and Control) for the period 1st Jan 2011 - 31st Dec 2013 (Inc.) - nationally. The stats relate to any incident where the code relating to suicide/attempt suicide has been recorded.

In 2011, 117 suicide/attempt suicide incidents recorded
In 2012, 87 suicide/attempt suicide incidents recorded
In 2013, 652 suicide/attempt suicide incidents recorded

In 2011, The HA Traffic Officer Service attended 82 of 117 suicide/attempt suicide incidents
In 2012, The HA Traffic Officer Service attended 64 of 87 suicide/attempt suicide incidents
In 2013, The HA Traffic Officer Service attended 293 of 652 suicide/attempt suicide incidents

In 2011, 45 of 117 suicide/attempt suicide incidents recorded resulted in a full or total closure
In 2012, 43 of 87 suicide/attempt suicide incidents recorded resulted in a full or total closure
In 2013, 94 of 652 suicide/attempt suicide incidents recorded resulted in a full or total closure

Please note:

- Only those incidents that the HA have an awareness or involvement in are recorded
- In April 2013, the code used to record suicide/attempt suicide incidents changed as part of a review, this resulted in the code being used with greater accuracy. This change is believed to be the main reason for the large increase in these incidents in 2013 when compared to previous years.
- The HA do not record details of injuries sustained and are therefore unable to provide stats in relation to the number of fatalities as a result of these incidents.
- A full closure is when all lanes in one direction of a carriageway are closed, a total closure is when all lanes in both directions of a carriageway are closed.

Your request regarding details of studies into this issue and their findings has been forwarded to a different department who will contact you with this information

Many thanks

Kathy

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Dear Mr Higgins,

Please see our response attached, plus details of the studies into this
issue. As these are large files I am sending in two batches.

I hope this provides you with the information you require.

Yours sincerely,

Steve Brassey

Steven Brassey, senior business coordinator
Highways Agency | The Cube | 199 Wharfside Street | Birmingham | B1 1RN
Web: [1]http://www.highways.gov.uk

Safe roads, reliable journeys, informed travellers
Highways Agency, an executive agency of the Department for Transport.

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Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
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References

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A mail message sent to you

To: [FOI #204640 email]

Titled: Freedom of Information request - Motorway suicide (2 of 3)
Dated: Thu, 29 May 2014 16:03:19 +0100

has failed at the HA mail gateway because it cannot be checked. The sender has been informed of the situation.

HA Internet Administrator

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Dear Mr Higgins,

Please see our response attached, plus details of the studies into this
issue.

As this report, which I have attempted to send a number of times
previously, was rejected by your server due to its size, I have split it
into three.  That means you will need to save all files into one location,
where you should be able to open the full report.

I hope this provides you with the information you require.

Yours sincerely,

Steve Brassey

Steven Brassey, senior business coordinator
Highways Agency | The Cube | 199 Wharfside Street | Birmingham | B1 1RN
Web: [1]http://www.highways.gov.uk

Safe roads, reliable journeys, informed travellers
Highways Agency, an executive agency of the Department for Transport.

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Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.highways.gov.uk/

Dear Mr Higgins,

Please see our response attached, plus details of the studies into this
issue.

As this report, which I have attempted to send a number of times
previously, was rejected by your server due to its size, I have split it
into three.  That means you will need to save all files into one location,
where you should be able to open the full report.

I hope this provides you with the information you require.

Yours sincerely,

Steve Brassey

Steven Brassey, senior business coordinator
Highways Agency | The Cube | 199 Wharfside Street | Birmingham | B1 1RN
Web: [1]http://www.highways.gov.uk

Safe roads, reliable journeys, informed travellers
Highways Agency, an executive agency of the Department for Transport.

show quoted sections

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or
recorded for legal purposes.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.highways.gov.uk/