eSpatial Brings Mapping Solution to Citizens

In a ground-breaking independent study, Road Safety Analysis (RSA) have combined Killed or Seriously Injured (KSI Casualties) data with residential, social and demographic data, and factored in local traffic and population counts.The result is a series of firsts: the first independent study of its kind in Great Britain, the first time that road safety results can be accurately compared on an area-by-area basis, and the first time that members of the public have access to the information via a web portal.The UK government has clearly prioritised making information available to enable local citizens to get more involved in decisions, hold local service providers to account, and assess the performance in their area against others. RSAâs portal is an excellent example of how this can be achieved quickly, effectively, and at a low cost. The report is seen as a first and significant step taken by the countryâs Department for Transport, who have developed Key Outcome Indicators to assist government, local organisations and citizens to monitor and make efforts towards improving road safety.While the easy availability of these results is a good news story, RSA Director Richard Owen is concerned about the story that the data tells.âThe results of this study show a worrying discrepancy between different parts of the country,â says Owen.âLocal authorities need to use all information available to them in order to understand the complex reasons around road risk, and to allow them to investigate how they might ensure the safety of people on their roads.âSince commencing work with eSpatial OnDemand GIS in May 2011, RSA has been able to efficiently and effectively map five yearsâ worth of data related to fatalities and serious injuries on Great Britainâs roads.Using eSpatial OnDemand GIS has enabled the company to make the results available to both local authorities and the general public via an interactive mapping tool, MAST Mapping.As one of only a handful of full-function Geographic Information System (GIS) tools that is available to customers via Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) delivery, eSpatial OnDemand GIS provided RSA with the functionality they required â but without the financial and technological burdens traditionally associated with such complex software.âWe are delighted that we have been able to provide Road Safety Analysis with effective mapping software,â says eSpatial CEO Philip OâDoherty. âWe applaud the important work they do to analyse and disseminate information on road safety in Great Britain, and sincerely hope that the results of their analysis will assist members of the public and local authorities to continue to improve road safety.â