Installation of passively-safe street furniture on local authority highways could be mandatory as soon as 10 years, a road safety expert told a London conference this week.
David Milne is the author of a new draft set of guidelines for roadside equipment on non-trunk routes, produced by road safety campaigners the Passive Revolution, and issued at the event.
As first priority for action, he cited rural A-roads, which constituted only 12% of the national network but experienced 53% of all fatal single-vehicle accident casualties.
Installing passively-safe street furniture on these would be cost effective, because there was less existing equipment to replace.
The next priority should be urban A-roads, where accidents were as high or higher, mainly due to the presence of lighting columns. But tree strikes, he said, accounted for more accidents than all those involving traffic signal poles, road signs and lighting columns combined. Protective barriers coming on to the market needed to be suitable for prevalent vehicle speeds.
However, because the problem was ‘so severe’, he recommended a comprehensive road-side tree-felling programme for rural A-roads, combined with landscaping and replanting at safe distances. Such an initiative, he warned, would need ‘long-term planning and a concerted political will’.
Donald Waller, of Durham County Council, reported the first UK installation of a new tree-protecting product from Highway Care. His authority, he said, would be trialling similar products during 2009.
Meanwhile, Professor Mike McDonald, who has just completed 25 years as director of the Southampton University Transportation Research Group, has won ITS UK’s first Hills-Rees award for outstanding achievement within the industry.
Presenting it in London, ITS UK president, Steven Norris, said: ‘Mike’s contributions have probably saved the UK millions of gallons of fuel and hours otherwise wasted at traffic signals. He has helped to put the intelligence into ITS, and to put the UK right at the top, not just in research, but also in delivery.’
Register now for full access
Register just once to get unrestricted, real-time coverage of the issues and challenges facing UK transport and highways engineers.
Full website content includes the latest news, exclusive commentary from leading industry figures and detailed topical analysis of the highways, transportation, environment and place-shaping sectors.
Use the link below to register your details for full, free access.
Already a registered? Login
