Martin BELCHER

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• Martin BELCHER
• TMS Consulting United Kingdom

Road Safety Audit in the UK
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Format of talk

• Road Safety Audit in the UK
• Examples of road safety issues

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TMS Consultancy background

• established in 1990
• based in Coventry, England
• road safety engineering
• traffic management
• training courses

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Road Safety Audit at TMS

• since 1991 TMS has completed more than 6,500 Road
  Safety Audits
• almost 1,000 in 2006
• 15 experienced Road Safety Auditors
• more than 200 training courses for Road Safety
  Auditors
• mbelcher_at_tmsconsultancy.co.uk

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Road Safety Audit in the UK

• A systematic process for checking road safety
  implications of new schemes and highway
  improvements (but not on existing roads)
• Schemes range from new motorways to minor
  improvements
• Carried out at formal stages during design and
  after construction
• Requires independent staff with experience of
  road safety engineering to undertake Safety Audits

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major by-pass scheme - Ireland
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major new junction - Ireland
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new section of motorway - UK
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new tram scheme - UK
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new mini-roundabout - UK
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new pedestrian crossing - UK
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Road Safety Audit in the UK

• Started in the 1980s by road safety engineers in
  local highway authorities
• Formalised in the 1990s
• Since 1991 Road Safety Audits have been mandatory
  on all new schemes and improvement schemes on the
  trunk road network
• Road Safety Audits routinely carried out on
  schemes on local roads by local authorities or
  their consultants

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Road Safety Audit in the UK

• The latest Standard (HD 19/03) lays down specific
  qualifications and experience for Road Safety
  Auditors
• Basic road safety engineering training (10 day
  course)
• Continuing professional development (2 days per
  year)
• Practical experience by observing Audits

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Road Safety Audit in the UK

• 4 Stage process
• Stage 1 preliminary design
• Stage 2 detailed design
• Stage 3 when scheme has been constructed
• Stage 4 monitoring after 1 and 3 years
• Stages 1 and 2 may be combined for small schemes

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Road Safety Audit in the UK

• The process
• carried out by a team consisting of two suitably
  experienced Safety Auditors
• site visit at all stages
• examine scheme plans during design stage audits
  (Stages 1 and 2)
• drive, walk (cycle) the site in daylight and in
  darkness at Stage 3
• check accident data at Stage 4
• formal report at all stages

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Road Safety Audit in the UK

• The Safety Audit Report describes the safety
  problems
• who can be hurt and in what way?
• and provides a recommendation
• how the risk can be removed or reduced
• Report is produced for the scheme client
• Client decides how to respond to the
  recommendations
• If recommendations not accepted Client prepares
  an Exception Report

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Methodology for developing Road Safety Audit

• Examine current best (relevant) international
  practice in order to develop guidelines
• Decide how to train and accredit safety auditors
• Develop institutional support for the process so
  that it is sustainable

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Road Safety Issues

• Some examples of typical problems

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lamp column in front of safety fence - UK
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or behind the fence with insufficient clearance
to allow the fence to deflect - UK
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pole in traffic lane - Ireland
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pedestrian trip hazards at a pedestrian crossing
- UK
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pedestrian trip hazards at a pedestrian crossing
- Ireland
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pedestrian trip hazards at a pedestrian crossing
- Italy
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pedestrian trip hazards at a pedestrian crossing
- Belgium
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wheelchair users a particularly vulnerable group
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how would they cross this access in the UK?
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or this junction in London?
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or this road in Brussels?
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(No Transcript)
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blocked footway - UK
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blocked footway - Italy
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poor cycle route - UK
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poor cycle route - UK
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poor cycle route - UK
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confusing signs - Ireland
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confusing signs - UK
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is there a sign here?
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there it is!!
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confusing signs - UK
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sign too low - UK
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too many signs causing confusion - Ireland
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too many signs causing confusion - Italy
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Final remarks

• Road Safety Audits are an accepted part of the
  highway and traffic design process in the UK
• Learn from our mistakes
• Good luck!!