TfL launches long-term Road Victim Support service to improve care for those affected by serious road traffic collisions in London

Transport for London (TfL) and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) have committed to funding a support service for victims of the most serious road traffic collisions in London for three years. The contract, which begins on 1 November 2025, will be delivered by national road safety charity Brake, which runs a specialist support service for road victims across the UK, and facilitated by the Met Police. The service will play a vital role in ensuring that victims get the help and support they need following road traffic collisions involving a fatality or serious injury.

Following the success of an initial one-year pilot scheme launched in 2023, which was delivered in partnership with the victim support charity RoadPeace, TfL extended the initiative until 31 October 2025 to maximise learnings. The scheme established for the first time in London a direct police referral into support. The pilot has demonstrated the value of early and proactive intervention, connecting victims with practical, emotional and legal support tailored to their unique circumstances. An evaluation report highlighted the scheme’s positive impact, including improved access to timely, trauma-informed, face-to-face support for bereaved families and those with life-changing injuries. Service users praised the high quality of care and the simple, effective referral process.

Brake was selected through an open tender process to deliver the long-term service. The charity will provide a team of dedicated London-based caseworkers to deliver trauma-informed emotional and practical support including help navigating the justice system, advocacy, and help accessing specialist services if needed. They will work in partnership with Child Bereavement UK to provide specialist support for children and young people when someone important to them has died or is not expected to survive. Working closely with the Met, Brake will implement a direct, consent-based referral mechanism from the police into the service. This will ensure that victims continue to be connected with timely support.

This new service complements TfL’s Sarah Hope Line, which continues to provide vital support to those affected by incidents on the TfL public transport network, including the Tube, buses, Elizabeth line, London Overground, DLR and Trams. Since 2016, the Sarah Hope Line has supported hundreds of individuals, working in partnership with expert organisations to ensure access to the right help at the right time.

This initiative forms part of TfL’s wider Vision Zero commitment to eliminate death and serious injury from London’s transport network. Whilst TfL continues to work on improving the safety of the network, a strong post-collision response is crucial when the worst does happen, ensuring that victims and their families receive the care and support they need.

TfL has also launched a new behaviour change campaign aimed at reducing serious injuries and deaths among people who ride motorcycles and bicycles, urging drivers to ‘take another look, not a life’. The campaign highlights the human impact of road collisions and failing to look properly, and has been influenced by bereaved families, with conversations facilitated in collaboration with RoadPeace. It combines emotional storytelling, featuring stories inspired by real victims, alongside timely reminders to reach drivers when they’re most likely to be behind the wheel. Launched this week, the campaign is live across video-on-demand, online video, radio, roadside posters and social media. The campaign supports TfL's goal to eliminate death and serious injury from London’s transport network, and last month, TfL launched a campaign on the Highway Code to raise awareness of rules in place to protect at-risk road users.

TfL remains committed to making London’s roads safer for everyone, and is continuing to deliver a range of major programmes to reduce road danger:

• The Direct Vision Standard (DVS), a world-first initiative which reduces lethal blind spots on lorries, is already helping to save lives and prevent life-changing injuries. Last year, TfL enhanced DVS requirements, with all HGVs over 12 tonnes required to have a three-star rating or fit Progressive Safe System measures to operate in Greater London   

• The Safer Junctions programme has delivered life-saving changes at 45 junctions across London, with work recently starting at Lambeth Bridge and Battersea Bridge  

• TfL has exceeded its target to lower speed limits on 140km of roads by March 2024, with 264km of TfL roads now subject to a 20mph limit  

• TfL continues to work closely with the police to increase their capacity to take enforcement action against drivers and riders who speed, given the risk and harm it causes  
• The Bus Safety Standard (BSS) is setting a global benchmark for bus safety, with nearly a quarter of London’s buses now meeting BSS requirements and a further 35 per cent retrofitted with key safety features such as Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) technology, which ensures buses cannot exceed speed limits, changes to bus interiors to improve occupant safety, an artificial sound so road users can hear quiet-running buses and replacing wing mirrors with camera monitoring systems to eliminate blind spots and improve driver vision

Claire Waxman OBE, London’s Victims’ Commissioner, said: “Losing a loved one in a road traffic collision is a life changing experience and so many people will live with the grief for the rest of their lives. It’s vital that families receive timely, specialist support to help them navigate the trauma and complex aftermath. TfL’s new service is a crucial step forward in ensuring victims are not left to cope and recover alone, but are helped throughout the grieving process every step of the way.”

Kaya Comer Schwartz, Deputy Mayor of London for Policing and Crime, said: “The aftermath of a serious road traffic collision is harrowing and the way that support is delivered has a lasting impact on everyone involved. It's important that everyone who is affected is provided with the professional help they need - when they need it most.

“That’s why I’m pleased that together with Transport for London, Brake and the Met Police, we are committing to delivering the Road Victim Support Service long-term, which will ensure those directly affected by road traffic collisions will receive practical, emotional and legal support that’s tailored to their unique circumstances.”

Lilli Matson, TfL's Chief Safety, Health and Environment Officer, said: “Road traffic collisions can have devastating and long-lasting impacts on victims, their families and friends. At TfL, we are deeply committed to ensuring that those affected receive the compassionate, timely and professional support they need and deserve. This long-term commitment strengthens our collaborative work with the police and boroughs, and reinforces our dedication to Vision Zero — our goal to eliminate death and serious injury from London’s transport network.”

Emma Strain, TfL's Customer Director, said: "Experiencing a serious road traffic collision or coping with the loss of a loved one as a result, can be an incredibly traumatic and life-altering event. This service has already demonstrated its value in reaching those in need and ensuring they receive the right support at the right time. We are grateful to our partners, including Brake, for their continued collaboration in making it possible to embed this vital service permanently.”   

Ross Moorlock, CEO of Brake, the road safety charity, said: “We are delighted to continue this work, providing trauma-informed and individual-led support to road victims in London thanks to the pro-active support of TfL and MOPAC. Victim support is a key pillar of the safe systems approach to road safety and for as long as we are able, we will be there to help families in need.”

In November, Brake will run Road Safety Week, an annual road safety campaign involving thousands of schools, organisations and communities that get involved to share important road safety messages. This year, Brake is putting safe vehicles at the heart of Road Safety Week, with a call to everyone to help make every journey as safe as possible by using vehicles that are roadworthy, prevent crashes and protect people. To find out more and sign up to take part, go to www.brake.org.uk/road-safety-week.