PROBLEMS with sharing data mean that the Fire Service is being frustrated with work it is doing to try to understand how to make Powys roads safer.

Mid and West Wales Fire Service is a statutory member of the Powys Public Service Board (PSB).

It is in charge of Step Three – which is to do with transport infrastructure and road safety.

Some of the roads in Powys are the most dangerous in the whole of the UK.

Head of Powys command for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Craig Thomas, said that the Transport Infrastructure Group had met to discuss the needs of “delivering the step” which includes, reducing the number of road deaths and injuries.

Mr Thomas explained: “Our stumbling block at the moment is gathering information because of data protection and giving out information.”

Mr Thomas explained that people involved in some crashes that happen in Powys are from England, and getting information on these incidents is proving difficult.

But there was a need to have “the right people around the table” to share information.

“We have one set of data and we might not go out to all of the same traffic collisions as the police go to,” said Mr Thomas.

Powys County Council, (PCC) head of communications and transformation Emma Palmer, believed that for the step to be successful there was a need to gather all the data.

Ms Palmer said: “You’d have your baseline around road deaths and injuries and look at the trends over time at these particular places. And then we need to improve infrastructure or awareness.

“This is the start of what is needed.”

Paul Funnell, of Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, suggested getting all the data protection officers together.

Mr Funnell said: “They need to understand the need to share this data on a lawful basis.”

Data gathered by technology company Teleetrac Navman between 2012 and 2016 for the Department of Transport has identified the A483 as the most dangerous road in Wales.

It comes second UK wide with only the A1 in Rutland, England being more dangerous.

Powys PSB ‘s Wellbeing plan, Towards 2040, is made up of 12 steps on issues such as, transport, education, community resilience, marketing Powys and even emotional wellbeing.

These are boiled down to four objectives.

• People in Powys will experience a stable and thriving economy

• People in Powys will enjoy a sustainable and productive environment

• People in Powys will be healthy, socially motivated and responsible

• People in Powys will be connected by strong communities and a vibrant culture

PSBs have been set up in Wales under the 2015 Well Being of Future Generations Act.

The idea is that PSBs are supposed to improve joint working across all public services in each local authority area in Wales.