-Suicide-prevention--WEB-800x449.jpg)
A new chapter in suicide prevention on the road network
Every death by suicide is a tragedy, with devastating consequences for families, communities and those involved in responding to incidents. While suicide prevention is often viewed through the lens of healthcare and crisis services, the environments we create and manage also have an important role to play.
That is why the launch of the new Suicide Prevention Assessment and Review (SPAR) Standard (GG920) within the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) is such a significant milestone.
Developed by National Highways in partnership with the devolved administrations, the standard establishes a consistent approach for identifying, assessing and reviewing suicide risk across new schemes, renewals and improvement projects.
Why the standard matters
Historically, suicide prevention measures on the road network have often been implemented in response to incidents or identified high-frequency locations. While these interventions can be highly effective, opportunities to influence outcomes are often greater, simpler and more cost-effective when risk is considered much earlier in the project lifecycle.
The new GG920 standard represents a shift from a reactive approach to a proactive one. It encourages designers, asset managers and project teams to consider suicide risk during project development, helping to identify opportunities for intervention before incidents occur.
By embedding suicide prevention into existing design processes, the standard provides a structured framework for identifying, assessing and managing suicide risk. This supports more informed decision-making during project development and helps ensure that opportunities to reduce harm are considered alongside other safety, operational and design requirements.
The industry challenge
One of the key challenges facing the sector has not been a lack of willingness to address suicide risk. Across the UK, there are already many examples of good practice and professionals working hard to make a difference.
The challenge has been consistency.
Until now, approaches to assessing and managing suicide risk have varied between organisations, projects and regions. Awareness of the issue, understanding of suicide risk factors and confidence in applying appropriate interventions have also differed across disciplines.
The SPAR standard addresses this by providing a common framework that brings together existing good practice and establishes a clear, proportionate process for considering suicide risk throughout the lifecycle of roads and bridge projects.
By creating a consistent approach, the standard will help raise awareness of suicide risk, improve understanding across the industry and ensure that opportunities to reduce harm are considered more systematically as part of everyday project delivery.
TRL's role in supporting the development of the standard
TRL has been working with National Highways for several years to better understand and address suicide risk across the Strategic Road Network, supporting the development of evidence-based approaches to prevention.
The new GG920 SPAR standard was developed by National Highways in partnership with the devolved administrations, with TRL providing technical expertise and drafting support throughout its development. The suicide risk assessment framework that underpins the standard was informed by research by Middlesex University and engagement undertaken by TRL with suicide prevention specialists, helping to establish a consistent and evidence-based approach to identifying and assessing suicide risk within road and bridge infrastructure projects.
Alongside this, TRL supported the development of the UKRLG Roads and Bridges Suicide Prevention Guidance, which provides practitioners with practical advice on applying the standard and identifying appropriate suicide prevention measures to reduce risk.
Beyond the development of the standard, TRL continues to support National Highways in embedding the requirements of GG920 into existing processes and day-to-day activities. This includes helping build industry capability, identifying opportunities for further guidance and supporting the consistent application of the standard across new schemes, renewals and improvement projects.
The focus is not simply on launching a new standard, but on ensuring it can be applied consistently and effectively to support better outcomes across the network.
What we've learned
One of the most important lessons from our work in this area is that people genuinely want to make a difference.
Across the highways sector, we have encountered designers, engineers, safety professionals, asset managers and operational teams who recognise the importance of suicide prevention and are committed to reducing harm. What has often been missing is a clear framework that helps people understand their role and how they can contribute.
There are already many examples of organisations taking positive action, but approaches have not always been applied consistently. The introduction of GG920 provides a shared framework that can help bring these efforts together and embed suicide prevention into day-to-day activities across the sector.
Looking ahead
The launch of GG920 marks an important step forward in recognising suicide prevention as a shared responsibility across the transport sector.
As organisations begin applying the standard, we hope to see suicide risk considered earlier in project development, greater consistency in decision making and improved understanding of where interventions can have the greatest impact.
The benefits extend beyond safety alone. Early consideration of suicide risk can help avoid costly retrofitting, improve the efficiency of investment decisions and reduce network disruption caused by incidents. Most importantly, it supports the collective ambition of creating a road network that is safer for everyone.
By making suicide prevention part of everyday design, delivery and operational activities, the industry can help move closer to National Highways' Road to Zero Harm vision and ensure that opportunities to prevent harm are identified before tragedy occurs.
Written by Roseline Walker