+ All Categories
Home > Documents > Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport...

Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport...

Date post: 22-Jun-2020
Category:
Upload: others
View: 4 times
Download: 0 times
Share this document with a friend
87
STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN
Transcript
Page 1: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

© Crown copyright 2007

This document is also available on the Transport Scotland website: www.transportscotland.gov.uk

RR Donnelley B50632 11/07

Further copies are available fromBlackwell’s Bookshop53 South BridgeEdinburghEH1 1YS

Telephone orders and enquiries0131 622 8283 or 0131 622 8258

Fax orders0131 557 8149

Email [email protected]

An agency of

w w w . t r a n s p o r t s c o t l a n d . g o v . u k

Further copies of this document are available, on request, in audio and large print formats and in community languages, please contact:

[email protected] or phone 0141 272 7100

strategic road safety plan

str

ateg

ic r

oa

d s

af

et

y p

la

n

Page 2: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

TRANSPORT SCOTLAND 2007

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 3: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety
Page 4: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

We are committed to improving road safety across Scotland. For each affected family, every road death is one too many, and we want to do all we can to reduce the number of tragedies experienced on our roads each year.

Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety strategy. The Agency’s knowledge and application of best practice will be a vital component of Scotland’s new 10-year road safety strategy.

This plan takes forward the work of Transport Scotland; not only in addressing historic accident sites but also by identifying

measures to address potential accident locations. This approach identifies elements within the road environment which are likely to contribute to an increased risk of injury and sets out strategies to eliminate them. This is a major step forward in preventing the distress inflicted on our communities as a result of road accidents.

Safer road design, improved speed management, continued maintenance and better provision for vulnerable road users will bring about the reduction in accidents on our roads that we are all seeking. Transport Scotland’s proactive approach to engineering solutions is combined with a recognition that the maximum reduction in accidents can be achieved only through collaboration with other agencies working to improve safety on Scotland’s roads. In this regard this document aims to clarify to all partners and stakeholders the role that Transport Scotland plays in the delivery of safety on Scotland’s roads and the ways in which it wants to engage with others.

I am confident that Investment in these initiatives will bring major benefits not just in financial terms but, more importantly, by reducing the pain and suffering inflicted on our society by avoidable deaths and injury on our trunk roads.

I am very pleased to publish this, Transport Scotland’s first Strategic Road Safety Plan.

Stewart Stevenson Minister for Transport (Infrastructure and Climate Change)

FOREWORD

Page 5: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety
Page 6: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

01. INTRODUCTION 2

02. TRANSPORT SCOTLAND 5

03. MANAGING A SAFE NETWORK 9

3.1 Strategic Road Safety Unit 13

3.2 Safety in Network Operations 15

3.3 Safety through Maintenance 16

04. STRATEGY & INVESTMENT 19

4.1 Scotland’s National Transport Strategy 20

4.2 Strategic Transport Projects Review 21

05. SAFETY FROM NEW INFRASTRUCTURE 23

5.1 Safety in Assessment 24

5.2 Safety in Design 25

5.3 Safety in Construction 25

06. ANALYSIS OF ACCIDENTS 27

07. ROAD SAFETY STAKEHOLDERS 33

08. STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN 43

CONTENTS

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 7: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

INTRODUCTION

Transport Scotland’s first Strategic Road Safety Plan has been produced to set out how Transport Scotland delivers safety. It includes an Action Plan setting out how the Transport Scotland’s Specialist Strategic Road Safety Unit will deliver the Agency’s targeted safety objectives. The road safety Action Plan makes the best use both of knowledge of the network and of how to most effectively reduce accidents. It highlights the need to remove risk and prioritise initiatives aimed at preventing accidents and mitigating the effects when accidents do occur. The plan shows how we are harnessing intelligent solutions, demonstrating innovation and working with partners, while sharing best practice with roads authorities across Scotland and throughout Europe.

Road accidents are estimated to cost Scotland over £1 billion per year. Although Scotland’s roads are amongst the safest in the world – and are becoming safer: 2,908 people were killed or seriously injured on Scotland’s roads in 2006; 565 of these casualties were as a result of accidents on the trunk road network. While the overall trend in accident numbers is downward, there were 28 more people killed on Scotland’s roads in 2006 than in 2005. Fatal accidents not only have a significant and traumatic effect on the friends and relatives of the deceased but also have a major impact on Scottish society as a whole. The 2006 figures highlight there is no room for complacency and that efforts must be renewed and concerted if we are to achieve further reductions in the accident toll.

Scottish Ministers, are committed to targets, set in 2000, for reductions in road casualties in the UK by 2010. The targets, set out in the UK road safety strategy, Tomorrow’s roads – safer for everyone, are for a 40% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured, a 50% reduction in child deaths and serious injuries, compared with the average for 1994-98, and a 10% reduction in the slight casualty rate.

Working within the legislative framework and in accordance with wider Scottish Government policy, Transport Scotland will deliver a safer trunk road network through managing a prioritised safety engineering programme that employs innovation and applies best available practice. We aim to reduce the number of accidents on Scotland’s trunk roads through Transport Scotland’s implementation of a proactive approach to road safety engineering in accordance with the vision for transport as set out in Scotland’s National Transport Strategy:

1

CH

APT

ER 01 INT

RO

DU

CT

ION

PA

GE

2/3

Page 8: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

“...an accessible Scotland with safe, integrated and reliable transport that supports economic growth, provides opportunities for all and is easy to use; a transport system that meets everyone’s needs, respects our environment and contributes to health; services recognised internationally for quality, technology and innovation, and for effective and well-maintained networks; a culture where fewer short journeys are made by car, where we favour public transport, walking and cycling because they are safe and sustainable, where transport providers and planners respond to the changing needs of businesses, communities and users, and where one ticket will get you anywhere.”

While most accidents stem from driver error, Europe’s national safety strategies show that safer road design and layout would do most to reduce the rate of accidents and, in particular, those leading to death and serious injury; this is especially true in countries where messages about better driver behaviour and safer vehicles are generally understood and accepted. However, Transport Scotland, while being directly responsible for engineering, recognises that optimum casualty reduction can best be achieved through working in partnership with organisations sharing responsibility for road safety, particularly those involved in education and enforcement.

Reducing the number of accidents as a consequence of the delivery of this plan will align with the Scottish Government’s objectives of a wealthier, healthier and safer nation. This takes into account the reduced costs to society from a fall in accidents and the greater personal wellbeing and safety as a result of the reduction in risk for the members of our society.

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 9: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety
Page 10: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

chapter 02TRANSPORT SCOTLAND

Page 11: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

Transport Scotland was established in January 2006 as an executive agency of the Scottish Government and works with the Transport Directorate. Its purpose is to support the delivery of the Scottish Government’s vision for Transport in Scotland. One of the aims of the Agency is to ensure that Scotland’s trunk road network is managed efficiently, effectively, and economically. It delivers a programme of enhancements to the trunk road network, supports Scotland’s National Transport Strategy by setting investment priorities for the trunk road network, and strives towards excellence by building a set of working principles into everything it delivers. Key objectives within each of these aims directly affect road safety by maintaining and renewing the trunk road infrastructure and ensuring that service levels are maintained to required standards.

Because Scotland’s trunk road network is of strategic importance it comes under the authority of Scottish Ministers. The trunk road network is vital because it connects our cities and rural communities as well as providing strategic links to the ports and the islands. The trunk road network in Scotland is hugely diverse, ranging from ten-lane motorways to single track roads. Although the trunk road network represents just over 6% of the total Scottish road network, it carries 37% of all traffic and 62% of heavy goods vehicles. Around 16% of annual injury accidents occur on the trunk road network.

Transport Scotland manages the transport network through a number of work areas which complement and support each other to provide a coordinated and efficient approach. This coordination extends across the management and improvement of the trunk road and rail networks and their interfaces. It includes also high level policy determination of the future investment strategy which takes into consideration safety at all levels.

TRANSPORT SCOTLAND

2

CH

APT

ER 02 TR

AN

SP

OR

T S

CO

TL

AN

D P

AG

E 6/7

Page 12: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

TRANSPORT SCOTLAND

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 13: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety
Page 14: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

chapter 03MANAGING A SAFE NETWORK

Page 15: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

Transport Scotland is responsible for the operation and maintenance of Scotland’s trunk road network, which covers about 3,500 kilometres of motorways and main roads, 1,900 bridges and 3,700 other structures. The asset is valued at £13.2 billion with an annual upkeep cost of approximately £160 million.

The bulk of the trunk road network is managed and maintained by operating companies who are contracted by Transport Scotland on behalf of Scottish Ministers. The Scottish trunk road network is separated into four areas - the North West, North East, South West and South East - and each area is managed and maintained under a separate contract. Aside from these agreements, there are individual ‘Design, Build, Finance and Operate’ (DBFO) contracts for:

the A74(M) from Junction 12 to the English Border;

the M77 from Junction 5 to Fenwick.

The operation of the trunk road network covers a broad spectrum of duties that influence road safety on the network, including minor improvement schemes, maintenance schemes, winter service, real time journey information and variable message signs, road safety schemes and safety audits overseen by the dedicated Strategic Road Safety Unit. The management and maintenance of individual routes is directed by Area Network Managers.

MANAGING A SAFE NETWORK

3

CH

APT

ER 03 MA

NA

GIN

G A

SA

FE

NE

TW

OR

K P

AG

E 10/11

Page 16: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

MANAGING A SAFE NETWORK

A90

A90

A96

A90

A86

A82

A83

A82

A84

A85 A90

A85A82

A9

A9A92

A985

A77

A77

A76

A78

A78

A68

A7

A7

A1

A8

A85

A83

A75 A75

A75

A82

A82

A830

A828

A887

A87

A82

A9

A96

A96

A9

A9

A99

A702

A82

A86

A9

A889

A95

A726

A80

A835

A835

A9

A87

A87

A92

A737

A751

A77

A90

A90

A6091

A738

A95

A876

A720

A701

A725

M80

M9

M8M9

M80M

8

M90

M73

A74(M)

A74(M)

M876

M74

M77

H I G H L A N D

W E S T E R NI S L E S

A B E R D E E N S H I R E

A N G U SP E R T H

A N D

K I N R O S S

F I F ES T I R L I N G

2

A R G Y L LA N D

B U T E

DU ND EECI TY

WE ST LO TH IA N

S O U T HL A N A R K S H I R E

E A S TA Y R S H I R E

N O R T HA Y R S H I R E

S O U T HA Y R S H I R E

D U M F R I E S A N D G A L L O W A Y

S C O T T I S H B O R D E R S

M O R A Y

MIDL OT HI AN

CI TY OFED IN BU RG H

FA LK IR K

AB ER DE ENCI TY

O R K N E Y

E A S T L O T H I A N45

6

8

7

1

3

KILMARNOCK

PETERHEAD

MONTROSE

BERWICK-

GALASHIELS

AYR

IRVINE

STIRLING KIRKCALDY

GREENOCK

PERTH

ARBROATH

DUMFRIES

UPON-TWEED

GLASGOW

EDINBURGH

DUNDEE

INVERNESS

ABERDEEN

North West

North East

South East

South West

RR Donnelley B50632 07/2007 © Crown Copyright

Trunk Roads: Trunk Road Units

An agency of

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 17: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

MANAGING A SAFE NETWORK

A core element underpinning all activities within Transport Scotland is road safety and how that may be delivered within the range of activities it undertakes. Engineers and road safety practitioners from all disciplines are united in their efforts but are tasked with considering safety in different contexts. As a result there is a number of methods outwith site-specific investigations which seek to provide safe and improved driving conditions along routes or within specific areas.

The Area Network Managers are tasked with the day-to-day management of the routes. They develop strategies for phased minor improvements and upgrades to the layout or capacity provision, as well as considering such items as lay-by provision or signing upgrades. Such items tend to be costly and may have to be programmed over a number of years. Consideration is given, therefore, to agreed optimum improvements which can be integrated into forward planning proposals as finances allow.

Accident patterns and rates along whole or part of routes are considered in Route Accident Reduction Plans (RARP) to ensure that full consideration is given to those accidents that may not be picked up by accident cluster analysis. Such reviews are intended to enable engineers to standardise treatments at similar layouts and locations, thereby providing drivers with consistent messages that enable them to make decisions about appropriate speeds and actions. The measures taken are generally simple engineering treatments or improvements to signing and lining which can be implemented quickly and cost-effectively. RARPs are led by the Strategic Road Safety Unit in consultation with the Area Network Managers.

Management of routes includes consideration of the surrounding environment. Trees, whether within or outwith the highway boundary, can cause hazards to road users, for example from falling limbs, etc. Route management also has an impact on the surrounding wildlife. One particular problem area is the conflict between deer and road users - the Deer Commission indicates on their website that between 6,000 and 10,000 deer-vehicle collisions occur each year. In response to this issue a working group has been set up to consider possible mitigation measures.

CH

APT

ER 03 MA

NA

GIN

G A

SA

FE

NE

TW

OR

K P

AG

E 12

/13

Page 18: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY UNIT

The Strategic Road Safety Unit is the specialist accident investigation unit within Transport Scotland. Managing the annual road safety programme the Unit develops and implements a road safety strategy through a range of initiatives and projects, directed squarely at achieving the Scottish Ministers 2010 casualty reduction targets.

The Unit is responsible for achieving this objective in accordance with the Action Plan provided in this document. The actions include making the best use of knowledge of both our network and of how to most effectively reduce accidents. The plan highlights the need to remove risk and prioritise initiatives aimed at preventing accidents while reducing the severity of accidents when they do occur.

Strategic Road Safety Unit – what we do:

monitor the road safety performance of the trunk road network;

manage the annual road safety programme for the trunk road network;

promote professionalism and high standards amongst road safety engineers;

work in partnership with enforcement and education stakeholders;

liaise with road safety forums;

partner with Scottish Safety Camera Partnerships;

instigate debate on best practice and improved standards;

harness developments in Intelligent Transport Systems for road safety solutions;

publish results of pilot studies and disseminate experience;

commission road safety research and publish findings;

answer Parliamentary queries on safety matters.

3.1

Page 19: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

From its inception in 1989, the Accident Investigation and Prevention (AIP) Unit of the Scottish Office has undertaken an annual programme of low-cost engineering measures targeting known accident cluster sites on trunk roads. A reduction in accidents was quick and noticeable; between 1989 and 2006 the annual number of fatal accidents on the Scottish trunk road network reduced from over a 150 to less than 90. This reduction was achieved in spite of increasing traffic volumes. This reactive approach has proved successful and has continued to be the mainstay of the annual road safety programme of what is now the Strategic Road Safety Unit. However, the cluster sites that have been suitable for intervention have largely been treated and, as such, the cluster sites that are still being identified offer a decreasing potential for reducing overall accident numbers through traditional AIP measures.

Continued development and innovation is required to maintain Scotland’s network’s status as one of the safest in the world. New methods and strategies are being taken forward to ensure that accident and casualty numbers are further reduced. While most accidents stem from driver error a safer road environment offers good potential to reduce the frequency of accidents, in particular those leading to death and serious injury. The more dispersed nature of today’s accidents requires greater emphasis on the proactive removal of risk through large scale mass actions and route treatments. Transport Scotland, while being directly responsible for engineering, recognises that optimum casualty reduction can best be achieved through working in partnership with organisations sharing responsibility for road safety, particularly those investing in education and enforcement.

CH

APT

ER 03 MA

NA

GIN

G A

SA

FE

NE

TW

OR

K P

AG

E 14

/15

Page 20: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

The Scottish Government plays its part in the delivery of safety on trunk roads and contributes positively to the debate and to significant research studies. This aspect is becoming increasingly important if we are to continue to deliver a successful programme. Transport Scotland is committed to developing this approach and engaging positively with all roads authorities, police forces, education groups and Regional Transport Partnerships in order to ensure that resources are used effectively and our combined efforts are optimised.

There is still a great need to understand the dynamics of why accidents occur and to use the evidence to produce future safety strategies. Transport Scotland is continuing to improve the analysis of trunk road accidents and take forward research on emerging safety issues. Of particular interest is how to reduce the disproportionate impact upon occupants of errant vehicles leaving the carriageway following relatively minor mistakes.

SAFETY IN NETWORK OPERATIONS

Traffic Scotland forms part of the Network Operator Role within Transport Scotland, alongside the Strategic Road Safety Unit and the Development Management team. The Network Operations team’s activity helps to deliver a road network than can be used by our customers for safe and reliable journeys.

Network Operations manages the Traffic Scotland service which uses a wide range of Intelligent Transport Systems to deliver its three core functions of monitoring, controlling, and informing across Scotland’s trunk road network, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Traffic Scotland monitors and communicates information on around 15,000 unplanned incidents on the network annually, including breakdowns, accidents and severe weather events, thereby helping to minimise the impact of these incidents on the users of the network.

Through utilising the automatic queue detection and lane control signalling systems in place on the most heavily trafficked sections of our motorway network, the risk of secondary incidents is minimised. Variable Message Signs (VMS) in overhead gantries and roadside signs convey to approaching motorists up-to-date information on current incidents.

Traffic Scotland also supports various year-round road safety campaigns through displaying appropriate message legends on the network of VMS signs – from ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ to ‘Fools Speed’. In future, it is proposed to take a more targeted approach to background message legends on the VMS to try and address specific road safety concerns on particular routes on our network. In addition Weigh in Motion (WiM) will soon be available on extensive sections of the trunk road to address the safety issues arising as a result of overloaded Large Goods Vehicles. This will be fed into Route Safety Files to help inform future strategies.

MANAGING A SAFE NETWORK

3.2

Page 21: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

The Network Operator role also includes management of the Trunk Road Incident Support Service (TRISS), which aims to help reduce congestion and improve safety on the network by providing a bespoke service to improve response times to incidents such as emergencies, debris removal and assistance with broken-down vehicles. These operations are undertaken in partnership with the police. A TRISS service is currently operational in the Glasgow and Edinburgh areas.

SAFETY THROUGH MAINTENANCE

Maintaining the trunk road network in Scotland is a vital part of ensuring the safety of the network. Each element of the maintenance regime plays an important part in providing a safe driving environment. Cyclical reviews of the road surface, infrastructure features, and foliage cutbacks, as well as an annual winter service programme, are used to ensure that potential hazards are identified.

Each operating company carries out routine inspections on all routes on the trunk road network. These inspections identify any defects on the carriageways, which are then repaired accordingly. Inspections are also carried out on road lighting, traffic signals, safety barriers, gantries, bridges and signs to ensure that any defects are identified.

The pavement construction (road surface) making up the trunk roads undergoes a pavement survey every two years. This process allows maintenance activities to be planned to optimise the design life of pavements and ensure that skid resistance values of the carriageways are maintained throughout the network.

3.3

MANAGING A SAFE NETWORK

CH

APT

ER 03 MA

NA

GIN

G A

SA

FE

NE

TW

OR

K P

AG

E 16/17

Page 22: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

The network is constantly under pressure due to changes in the volume and type of traffic; this requires Transport Scotland to provide solutions in order to meet current and future challenges. Network Management continually look to improve the trunk road network by installing engineering measures to provide a safer network. Minor schemes are intended to improve a specific section of a route, generally within its existing boundaries and at a cost of up to £5 million. Around £15 million per year is allocated to implement schemes such as junction improvements, bend improvements, roundabouts, new signing, street lighting, etc.

Each proposed scheme is economically assessed and consideration is given to such issues as safety, environment, economy, integration, social inclusion and accessibility. All these factors are considered in prioritising schemes; schemes invariably provide significant accident savings.

Transport Scotland maintains motorways and trunk roads to allow safe movement of traffic and to minimise delays caused by adverse weather conditions. The winter service regime is a highly technical and specialised duty of the operating company. Each operating company maintains its salt and glycol stock levels to ensure that it can react accordingly when inclement conditions are forecast. Pre-wetted salt was introduced in 2006 for the first time.

From 1st October to 15th May every year, a 24-hour dedicated winter maintenance service operates on all Scotland’s trunk roads. During this period, roads are treated to prevent ice forming and are ploughed to clear snow as conditions demand.

Page 23: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety
Page 24: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

chapter 04STRATEGY & INVESTMENT

Page 25: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

The Strategy & Investment Directorate within Transport Scotland leads policy development across all modes for which Transport Scotland is responsible. It informs future investment decisions through expert transport modelling, appraisal and research, while ensuring the committed programme for trunk road investment is delivered in line with strategic priorities.

SCOTLAND’S NATIONAL TRANSPORT STRATEGY

In December 2006, the Scottish Executive issued Scotland’s National Transport Strategy (NTS) which seeks to set out clearly the context and direction of Scotland’s transport needs.

Whilst it recognises the dangers of uncontrolled development in transport infrastructure and the effects this may have on climate change and sustainable energy sources, it nonetheless reaffirms the importance of transport development in the overall economic growth and prosperity of the country. The key will be to deliver the country’s needs in an innovative and sympathetic manner.

The NTS seeks to outline the broad principles of achieving an improving and sustainable transport strategy that will provide both an economic platform for Scotland and an improved infrastructure for all aspects of the transport system for daily users.

An underlying principle running throughout the aims of the NTS is to ensure that the transport infrastructure in all its forms will be delivered in a safe and reliable manner.

4.1

STRATEGY & INVESTMENT

CH

APT

ER 04 ST

RA

TE

GY

AN

D IN

VE

ST

ME

NT

PA

GE

20/21

4

Page 26: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

STRATEGIC TRANSPORT PROJECTS REVIEW

The Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR) is being undertaken by Strategy & Investment to identify a programme of transport interventions for implementation between 2012 and 2022 that will make a significant contribution towards achieving Scotland’s NTS. The programme will consider a wide range of potential interventions on the national strategic transport network and, where appropriate, these will be assessed and prioritised against specific targets and policies established for reducing accidents on the trunk road network.

The drivers for the STPR are the 3 strategic outcomes of the NTS for improved journey times, reduced emissions and improved quality, accessibility and affordability. However, the Review is being undertaken in accordance with the methodology outlined in the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) and all potential interventions, particularly road based interventions, will be assessed against the safety objective which is one of the five key criteria within STAG. STAG is used in the appraisal of all transport policies and projects and is intended as an objective non-solution led approach to transport appraisal. During the Review due cognisance will be taken of the Action Plan within Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan.

4.2

Page 27: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety
Page 28: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

chapter 05SAFETY FROM NEW INFRASTRUCTURE

Page 29: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

Transport Scotland also has responsibility for the assessment, promotion, preparation, design and construction of major road schemes across the trunk road network.

Trunk road schemes vary in type and size, and range from junction improvements to major route upgrading and the provision of new routes. Some schemes are targeted specifically at road safety. A good example is the addition of seven new interchanges on the A90 between Perth and Forfar where surface level junctions with poor accident histories have been replaced with grade separated (flyover) junctions to allow safer movements to, from and across the A90. Five of these junction improvements arose from a route action plan study carried out on the Perth to Dundee section of the route.

Route upgrading carries inherent safety benefits. For example, relative to traffic flows, dual carriageways typically have a better safety record than single carriageways. In other locations where traffic flows are lighter and wholesale upgrading would not be justified, improvements are carried out to provide safer overtaking opportunities than currently exist.

Regardless of the principal motivation for a scheme, safety is always a primary consideration.

SAFETY IN ASSESSMENT

Major schemes are assessed through Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) against the Government’s five criteria of Economy, Environment, Safety, Accessibility and Integration. Safety, therefore, is included from the very earliest stages of scheme assessment. The predicted cost of accidents is included in the economic assessment of schemes and safety has an important part to play in establishing whether or not a scheme is justified in economic terms.

A Route Action Plan (RAP) is mainly intended to look at the future development needs of a route within its existing footprint. Engineers responsible for upgrading and improving the overall network may wish to anticipate future needs of the network as the dynamics and demands of the system evolve. Population and traffic growth are just two of the factors that may require the organisation to review how the network operates and help determine whether changes to the existing carriageway or junction types might be needed.

SAFETY FROM NEW INFRASTRUCTURE

5

5.1

CH

APT

ER 05 SA

FE

TY

FR

OM

NE

W IN

FR

AS

TR

UC

TU

RE

PA

GE

24/2

5

Page 30: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

SAFETY IN DESIGN

Independent road safety audits are undertaken at prescribed stages of the scheme development to ensure that the design of the road makes its eventual operation as safe as possible for all road users.

Schemes are designed to adopted national standards as set out in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB), and these standards ensure consistently high levels of safety. Any departures from these standards have to undergo an independent review and approval process managed by Transport Scotland’s Standards Branch and, if approved, usually require some compensatory mitigation to be put in place.

The trunk road network Disability Equality – Scheme and Action Plan sets out how Transport Scotland fulfils its responsibilities and duties under the Disability Discrimination Act, together with the development of professional and technical staff to better recognise and understand the needs of disabled people.

SAFETY IN CONSTRUCTION

All improvement schemes involve the appointment of a Planning Supervisor at the outset in order to ensure that an independent and continuing safety assessment of the scheme design is implemented. This results in the production of a Health and Safety Plan which is passed on to the eventually-appointed contractor to ensure that safety of construction is built-in. The safety plans are developed during the construction process and a final plan produced upon completion of the improvement.

SAFETY FROM NEW INFRASTRUCTURE

5.2

5.3

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 31: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety
Page 32: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

chapter 06ANALYSIS OF ACCIDENTS

Page 33: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

ANALYSIS OF ACCIDENTS

Accident data is at the heart of road safety and central to the work of Strategic Road Safety, as they provide a means to gauge not only those areas in need of safety improvement measures but also allow monitoring of the effectiveness of such measures. This also allows decisions regarding investment to be targeted.

CURRENT SITUATION

By 2010, the UK Government wishes to achieve, compared with the average for 1994-98:

a 40% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents;

a 50% reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured; and

a 10% reduction in the slight casualty rate, expressed as the number of people slightly injured per 100 million vehicle kilometres.

The accident data is gathered by Scottish police forces and subsequently reported to the Scottish Government prior to entry into the Accident Manager database component of the Scottish Executive Road Information System (SERIS). This database is used to retrieve details on accidents and casualties spanning almost three decades, as well being central to many of Transport Scotland’s road safety initiatives; these include the Moving Cursor Programme and the monitoring of progress in relation to the 2010 UK Government casualty reduction targets.

ANALYSIS OF ACCIDENTS

6

CH

APT

ER 06 AN

ALY

SIS

OF

AC

CID

EN

TS

PA

GE

28

/29

Page 34: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

PERFORMANCE AGAINST TARGETS

The 2010 UK Government casualty reduction targets are being met on the Scottish trunk road network, with reductions consistently below the current pro-rata target year-on-year in terms of ‘Killed and Serious Casualties’, ‘Killed and Serious Child Casualties’, and ‘Slight Casualty Rate’. The following graph demonstrates current performance for the Scottish trunk road network against the defined casualty reduction targets:

SCOTTISH TRUNK ROAD NETWORK (2010 UK GOVERNMENT CASUALTY REDUCTION TARGETS)

Fata

l & S

erio

us C

asua

lties

Slig

ht C

asua

lty

Rat

e

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 35: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

Progress towards these targets continues in the UK as a whole. Despite being one of the most heavily motorised, the UK road safety record compares favourably with those of other European countries.

CH

APT

ER 06 AN

ALY

SIS

OF

AC

CID

EN

TS

PA

GE

30/31

INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON – FATALITY RATES PER CAPITA

Country

[Source: IRTAD, UN, European Commission, CARE, National Statisics]

0

50

100

150

200

Accident Rate

Net

herla

nds

Sw

eden

Eng

land

Nor

way

Sco

tland

Jap

anD

enm

ark

Wal

esS

witz

erla

ndG

erm

any

Finl

and

Icel

and

Aus

tral

iaC

anad

aIr

ish

Rep

ublic

Nor

ther

n Ire

land

Fran

ceIta

lyA

ustr

iaN

ew Z

eala

ndS

pai

nLu

xem

bur

gB

elgi

umP

ortu

gal

Hun

gary

Cze

ch R

epub

licS

outh

Kor

eaS

love

nia

US

AP

olan

dG

reec

e

Acc

iden

t R

ate

per

mill

ion

pop

ulat

ion

Page 36: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

ANALYSIS OF ACCIDENTS

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 37: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety
Page 38: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

chapter 07ROAD SAFETY STAKEHOLDERS

Page 39: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

Road safety in Scotland is delivered by a wide range of dedicated professionals from a wide range of disciplines. Each helps to reinforce the other in the delivery of the four ‘E’s – Engineering, Education, Enforcement, and Encouragement. It is essential that if our common objectives are to be successful, strong working relationships have to be developed across and throughout organisations. For this reason, various working groups and partnerships dealing with a wide range of issues meet either on a periodic basis or when needs dictate in order to develop strategies and policies at both local and national levels. By so doing common approaches can be agreed and best practices developed to help ensure consistent approaches. Regional road safety groups, local authority groupings, Safety Camera Partnerships and teams developing route strategies already bring together stakeholders from many disciplines to help foster understanding and co-ordinated action. This model will form the basis of many of the Strategic Road Safety Unit’s actions in the future. The primary stakeholders in road safety in Scotland are –

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT – TRANSPORT DIRECTORATE

The Transport Directorate is responsible for a complementary range of policy initiatives in relation to the development and delivery of a co-ordinated national transport policy. In delivering a safe reliable and efficient national transport system a wide range of issues have to be considered covering all modes of travel. For instance, access to the more remote communities on islands requires specific and detailed management of aviation and ferry issues as well as consideration of the needs of ports and inland waterways. However, in relation specifically to road transport, the Directorate also encompasses such functions as guidance and policy issues on regional transport partnerships, demand management, road safety and local roads, bus and taxi policy, rural community transport, freight transport policy and the delivery of grant and funding expenditure.

ROAD SAFETY STAKEHOLDERS

ROAD SAFETY STAKEHOLDERS

7

CH

APT

ER 07 RO

AD

SA

FE

TY

ST

AK

EH

OL

DE

RS

PA

GE

34/3

5

Page 40: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT (DfT)

The DfT’s objective is to oversee the UK-wide provision of reserved transport matters. Its role is to determine UK-wide transport policy and to manage relationships with the agencies responsible for the delivery of that vision across a wide range of disciplines. Although the establishment of a devolved government has resulted in many aspects of the functionality resting with Scottish Ministers, there is, nevertheless, a continued need to consider UK-wide policy. For this reason there is constant interaction between the Departmental offices on issues such as speed limits and enforcement, design standards, signing issues and the use of innovative materials and roadside furniture products. DfT’s document, Tomorrow’s roads – safer for everyone, forms an agreed UK-wide position for improving road safety up to 2010.

POLICE

There are eight police forces in Scotland, delivering the whole range of services that their communities have come to expect. The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland published its road policing strategy for the period 2005-2008 in the document Scotland’s Roads; Safer for Everyone. In pursuit of a high quality road policing service, forces in Scotland adopt a common approach across a range of functions. While the delivery of a police service in the varied and diverse communities and environments of Scotland will differ according to local needs and availability of police resources there is an expectation that a common minimum standard of service, capability and activity will be recognised anywhere in Scotland.

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 41: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

The forces’ remit is wide and varied and whilst road policing is a high-profile and sometimes emotive function it is nonetheless only one aspect of their responsibilities. Engineers may be able to address the physical problems of a road’s layout but police force personnel – particularly road policing officers – are in the unique position of being able to provide specific accident information as well as insights into driver behaviour. For this reason they play an important role in helping develop accident remedial measures and contribute widely to the road safety audit process. More and more over recent years, as route strategies have been developed, police officers have participated on a regular basis to provide their perspective; this includes collaboration with bodies such as the A77 Safety Group, the Trunk Road Incident Support Service and the A9 Working Group. No less important to the road safety community is their requirement to gather and circulate injury accident information which populates the databases and their pivotal role in delivering the safety camera partnership programme.

LOCAL AUTHORITIES

There are 32 Scottish Councils, many of which produce their own Road Safety Plan. Scottish Councils are the Roads Authorities responsible for overseeing the maintenance and operation of non-trunk roads within their geographical areas. These roads form an important and integral net of communication that intersects and feeds the trunk road network at strategic points. As such, there has always been a close working relationship between national and local government to ensure the cohesive delivery of a safe roads environment. The local authorities carry out the same functions for local roads that Transport Scotland do for trunk roads, including maintaining accident databases, identifying and producing accident remedial schemes, safety auditing new schemes and meeting accident reduction targets as well as promoting road safety within their area and working in partnerships with the numerous other bodies involved in road safety. Local authority engineers are represented by the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS), which has a road safety working group and AIP sub-group to which Transport Scotland are invited.

REGIONAL TRANSPORT PARTNERSHIPS

CH

APT

ER 07 RO

AD

SA

FE

TY

ST

AK

EH

OL

DE

RS

PA

GE

36/37

Page 42: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

ROAD SAFETY STAKEHOLDERS

Since April 2006, Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs) have been developing their strategies to improve transport issues and involving all stakeholders who have an interest in a safe and efficient infrastructure. In doing so, it is intended to provide a more strategic approach to the planning and delivery of a transport system which meets the needs of the local population.

The partnerships are responsible for ensuring that everyone involved in transport planning in their region considers the case for investment and infrastructure, and guides and co-ordinates the transport planning of individual constituent councils in the delivery of that strategy.

Although RTPs are very much in their infancy, the background knowledge and experience of those directly involved is likely to ensure that discourse and dialogue is well focused from the outset. It is expected, therefore, that these organisations will be well placed to engage meaningfully in the development of strategic road safety initiatives.

ROAD SAFETY SCOTLAND

Road Safety Scotland is charged with the development and co-ordination of national road safety education initiatives and publicity messages, and is funded by the Scottish Government. It operates via a number of committees that draw their membership from local authorities and police forces as well as from national bodies with a road safety involvement such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), SCOTS, NHS Health Scotland and the Institute of Road Safety Officers Scotland. Road Safety Scotland provides a valuable resource in commissioning behavioural studies to help develop advertising and educational programmes for all age groups in its campaign to reduce death and injury on the roads.

SCOTTISH SAFETY CAMERA PROGRAMME

The Scottish Safety Camera Programme is an evidence based initiative which has a principal focus on accident and casualty reduction. The programme brings together a wide range of organisations to help reduce the level of speed and red light violations on the public road network. The partnership approach allows the resources of the various partner members to be targeted specifically towards areas where there is an accident history and an identified speeding problem. This targeted approach maximises the benefit to the community. The Programme is delivered through eight local Safety Camera Partnerships and the Safety Camera Programme Office.

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 43: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

ROAD SAFETY STAKEHOLDERS

ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS (RoSPA)

Established over 80 years ago, RoSPA is concerned with heightening awareness of safety issues affecting everyday life. These can range from the routine to the complex, but are all designed to afford best practice guidance to the individual or organisation concerned. One part of RoSPA’s remit is to provide road safety information, education, training and publicity resources for both road users and road safety professionals. As such, it works closely with colleagues in Road Safety Scotland to provide the social and behavioural aspects of the tools needed to tackle road traffic accidents.

OPERATING COMPANIES

Operating Companies are contracted by Transport Scotland to carry out the day-to-day management of the Scottish trunk road network. This involves, among other duties, an extensive winter service programme, the monitoring and maintenance of the carriageways through programmed maintenance regimes, the delivery of small construction projects on the network, reviews and replacement of street furniture such as barriers and signage and, of course, the delivery of a targeted accident reduction programme. In addition, they liaise continually with the police forces and local authorities in matters of road safety and traffic management to ensure that a co-ordinated approach is adopted.

All these activities, either independently or working in partnership, have at their heart the ethos of road safety and all are intended to contribute to efforts in reducing road casualties.

EUROPEAN UNION

In 2001, the European Union set itself the ambitious objective of halving the number of fatalities on European roads by 2010 from 50,000 to 25,000. While progress is being made, road accidents still accounted for 41,500 victims on EU roads in 2005.

Much progress has been made collectively in Europe in terms of vehicle safety, and test and training requirements have been gradually increased to ensure that European drivers can cope with the dangers of road traffic. However, for road safety infrastructure no such joint effort has yet been carried out at European level.

CH

APT

ER 07 RO

AD

SA

FE

TY

ST

AK

EH

OL

DE

RS

PA

GE

38

/39

Page 44: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

Against this background the objective of the directive ‘13874/06 Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on road infrastructure safety management’ is to ensure that safety is integrated in all phases of planning, design and operation of road infrastructure in the Trans-European Network (TEN-T). It aims to ensure that safety is regarded in its own right in parallel with economic and environmental analysis. Its objectives are to:

increase the safety of new roads through continuous adaptation to the latest safety requirements;

bring about a common high level of safety of roads in all EU Member States;

create an awareness for safety in order to achieve informed decisions on planning and design;

make safety implications of decisions more transparent;

allow the collection and distribution of the available expertise in order to better exploit research results;

use limited funds for more efficient and safer construction and maintenance of roads; and

allow for a better collection, treatment and dissemination of safety-related information.

To achieve these objectives, the proposed Directive includes 4 key elements:

road safety impact assessments;

road safety audits;

management of high-risk road sections and network safety management; and

safety inspections.

Transport Scotland will contribute, through consultation, to the development of new legislation for EU objectives.

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 45: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

EuroRAP

Transport Scotland is a member of EuroRAP. This organisation works to improve Europe’s roads principally by two means, one the identification of risk rated roads with the aim of establishing a European standard and two, the development of a Road Protections Score. This sets out a protocol for the identification of risk which commensurately allows for the appropriate intervention. Transport Scotland has worked closely with EuroRap on the preliminary assessment of a number of routes on the trunk road network and will continue to develop this approach.

COMMUNITIES AND THE PUBLIC

The formal organisations responsible for the delivery of road safety clearly have their role to play. However, the onus for responsible road use lies to a great extent on the communities and the road users which the network serves. Where possible, therefore, the opportunity should be taken to engage with this group with the aim of encouraging a positive change in road users behaviour and to identify and respond to local users concerns and needs.

EXPERT SAFETY PANEL

In due course the recommendations of the expert safety panel to be established by Ministers will feed in to the re-evaluation process of the Strategic Road Safety Plan. This is proposed to be undertaken on a three year basis to allow new strategies to be developed on the basis of new approaches or technical innovation.

ROAD SAFETY STAKEHOLDERS

CH

APT

ER 07 RO

AD

SA

FE

TY

ST

AK

EH

OL

DE

RS

PA

GE

40/41

Page 46: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

TRANSPORT SCOTLAND

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 47: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety
Page 48: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

chapter 08STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY

ACTION PLAN

Page 49: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN

8 Significant progress has been made in road safety and Transport Scotland will continue to exploit those methods that have delivered improvements in recent years. However, greater innovation is now needed in the approach we adopt. Transport Scotland’s intention is to complement the existing methods with more proactive methods in order to further improve the safety performance of the Scottish trunk road network.

The following Action Plan will describe in detail the ways in which the Strategic Road Safety Unit of Transport Scotland, aims to successfully deliver the improvements needed to meet casualty reduction targets towards 2010 and beyond. The title of each action is listed below, and a table appended at the end of the document includes a description of each action together with its programme for delivery. The Action Plan is arranged within a number of key themes.

CH

APT

ER 08 AC

TIO

N P

LA

N P

AG

E 4

4/4

5

Page 50: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN

Subject Action Title

Analysis & Knowledge

1 Route Safety Files2 Moving Cursor Programme3 Historical Fatal and Serious Accident Sites4 Develop SERIS Accident Manager5 Fatal Accident Observation

Risk Reduction

6 Proactive Risk Removal7 Signpost Mass Action8 Road Restraint System Mass Action9 Tree Mass Action10 Safer Rural Junctions

Vulnerable Road Users

11 Road Users at Higher Risk of Accidents or Injury12 Motorcyclist Safety13 Young Drivers14 20mph Limits at Schools

Research & Development

15 Vehicle Activated Sign (VAS) Programme16 Road Safety Research17 Demonstration Road Safety Projects

Speed Management

18 Review of Speed Limits19 Safety Camera Partnerships and Speed Enforcement20 Speed Management at Roadworks21 Speed Management – Average Speed Enforcement

Working with Partners

22 EuroRAP23 Develop Stakeholder Liaison24 Trunk Road Safety Partnership

Continuing Improvement

25 Road Safety Audit Quality Control26 Sustainability through Development of a Road Safety

Business Plan27 Road Safety Continuing Professional Development

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 51: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN

ACTION 1

ROUTE SAFETY FILES

The trunk road network is continually evolving. It is subject to change and improvement in a whole range of ways. It may be resurfaced, relined, widened, have junctions closed or be upgraded to provide flyovers or underpasses, or even have single carriageways upgraded to dual carriageways. These changes, and many others, can be brought about over varying time spans and be influenced by factors such as traffic growth, road safety, maintenance and developments.

Sound knowledge of the history of developments in a road’s lifetime is an invaluable resource, especially when combined with planned and future works. As personnel and organisations change there is a danger that the historical knowledge base will disappear or be distorted. It is essential, therefore, that a means of tapping into this resource is found in order to inform future decision making.

A method must be developed that can draw together all the pertinent knowledge of a route together with route safety information to form a Route Safety File. This information should be able to inform future decision making with respect to road safety.

The File could include such categories as: detailed accident analysis of the route; bend assessments; roadside risk inventories; details of previous Accident Investigation and Prevention works; inventories of infrastructure; overview of routine and cyclic maintenance; route attributes (e.g. length, adjacent settlements, speed limits) and planned works. The File could also include a knowledge-base of police; local authority; community council and general public road safety concerns along the route so that these concerns can be fully considered in the development of future interventions.

It will also be important to develop accident targets for particular sections of the route based on their past road safety performance. The Route Safety File should be such that it can be continually updated as and when changes take place. This will enable each route to be considered against the performance of other routes and the national road safety performance targets, allowing road safety resources to be targeted where they are most needed. Furthermore, it will allow road safety targets to be set for specific routes.

The files will also provide a knowledge base that will allow quicker and fuller response to parliamentary, local authority, community council, and public queries regarding road safety.

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will develop Route Safety Files that will hold a knowledge base to inform future road safety prioritisation. The effectiveness of the road safety improvements will be monitored against the targets set for the individual routes.

ANALYSIS & KNOWLEDGE

CH

APT

ER 08 AC

TIO

N P

LA

N A

CT

ION

1 &

2 P

AG

E 4

6/47

Page 52: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

ACTION 2 ANALYSIS & KNOWLEDGE

MOVING CURSOR PROGRAMME

The Moving Cursor Programme (MCP) is a software tool for screening accident records on the entire trunk road network in order to identify accident cluster sites. The MCP is run annually and, traditionally, formed the basis for the identification of the annual programme of Accident Investigation and Prevention (AIP) works.

Transport Scotland maintains the Scottish Executive Road Information System (SERIS), a component of which is a database that contains details of all injury accidents that occurred on the network over the last three decades. The raw data for each injury accident is supplied by all eight Scottish Police Service areas and records an array of pertinent information concerning, amongst others, casualty, road and weather data.

The MCP - through SERIS - identifies accident clusters by three elements: accident frequency, time period and length of road. The parameters for each of these are three or more personal injury accidents within the latest three-year period and within a 100 metre radius. The accident clusters identified are collated in a report format and further investigated to identify trends and correctability.

This comprehensive range of data enables Strategic Road Safety to carry out an annual programme of prioritised site-specific investigations in order to determine low-cost engineering measures aimed at reducing accident frequency.

Traditionally, the above parameters have provided quick and significant returns in relation to accident reduction figures. However, the cluster sites that have been suitable for intervention have largely been treated and, as such, the cluster sites still being identified offer a decreasing potential for reducing overall accident numbers.

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 53: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

CH

APT

ER 08 AC

TIO

N P

LA

N A

CT

ION

3 &

4 P

AG

E 4

8/4

9

New strategies are being developed to complement the MCP programme; however, it will continue to be an important tool in identifying emerging and repeat cluster sites. As the nature of accidents has been changing throughout the last decade it may be beneficial to review the intervention levels for the various elements to ensure that they are set at the most appropriate level.

Cluster site analysis is dependent on the accident being located accurately from the grid co-ordinates provided in the accident report. The grid co-ordinates provided are not always sufficiently accurate to allow a strong degree of confidence required for the 100 metre radius MCP screening process. The integrity of the data could be improved by validating the co-ordinates with the plain text description provided by the reporting police officer.

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will review the MCP intervention levels and consider how the programme might be further developed to ensure its future effectiveness.

Page 54: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

HISTORICAL FATAL AND SERIOUS ACCIDENT SITES

The management of any accident remedial programme must have fixed parameters if a meaningful and prioritised programme is to be developed and subsequently reviewed on a yearly basis. Practitioners should not arbitrarily respond to every incident on the network otherwise the integrity of effective monitoring and the probity of the schemes would be lost. The current parameters of the Moving Cursor Programme have proved successful but are now diminishing in their overall impact and, therefore, other strategies are now being considered. Although investigations based on greater lengths of route and accident rates over concentrated lengths are proving a useful stream of information, there is room to consider longer-term issues.

Because the Moving Cursor Programme is so precise and focused, there is a danger that the timing and locations of accidents may mean that they are not recognised as an emerging pattern of events requiring investigation. As each three-year period is analysed there is a possibility that serious or fatal accidents will fall outside the clusters and not be appreciated by the investigator as significant. The incidence of this occurrence is likely to be small but could, nonetheless, be significant in helping to highlight those sections of the network that demonstrate a high probability of serious or fatal accidents, albeit with a low frequency.

Action - Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will develop a specific programme to identify treatments for historic locations that demonstrate recurring accident patterns and develop an approach to tackle these sites.

ACTION 3 ANALYSIS & KNOWLEDGE

ACTION 4 ANALYSIS & KNOWLEDGE

DEVELOP SERIS ACCIDENT MANAGER

The Scottish Executive Road Information System (SERIS) is a database that contains details relating to all aspects of Scotland’s trunk road networks, from pavements and street furniture to road accident and casualty details, and it constitutes a vital component of Transport Scotland’s efforts to maintain and improve the road network, including its levels of safety. Strategic Road Safety relies heavily on a component of the database system named Accident Manager.

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 55: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

Accident Manager is a collection of tools that are used to interrogate the road accident database. This allows engineers and analysts to access accident details in varying depths as well as view video footage of the entire network, Ordinance Survey mapping from a national scale down to street level and several other interactive features. The system is always ‘live’ and can be accessed from any PC with appropriate connectivity by anyone with the correct security permissions.

SERIS undergoes continuous review and enhancement in line with current advances in technology and in response to user feedback. Further development is expected to lead to the increased automation of common processes, queries and report outputs. The aim is to continually improve the system’s ease and breadth of usability and functionality whilst maintaining a high level of accuracy and depth of detail in terms of the information stored within the database.

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety, will continue to enhance the capability, flexibility and accuracy of the Accident Manager function.

ACTION 5 ANALYSIS & KNOWLEDGE

FATAL ACCIDENT OBSERVATION

Fatal accidents not only have a significant and traumatic effect on the families, friends and colleagues of the deceased but also have a major impact on society as a whole. For this reason, every attempt should be made to understand the circumstances of these unfortunate incidents with a view to preventing future fatalities. Strategic Road Safety attends the locus of all fatal accidents with the relevant police force and Operating Company in order to collate information and establish whether there is a case for a more detailed engineering accident investigation.

Strategic Road Safety maintains its own records of fatal accidents as collated from information provided by the police at the time of the incident and, subsequently from observations at the site meeting. This comprehensive database of such accidents will help to develop a better understanding of fatal accidents and lead to improved safety solutions.

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will continue to attend all fatal accident sites and will maintain and improve the existing database.

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN

CH

APT

ER 08 AC

TIO

N P

LA

N A

CT

ION

5 &

6 P

AG

E 5

0/51

Page 56: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

PROACTIVE RISK REMOVAL

The Scottish trunk road network is hugely diverse and includes some stretches of route that have evolved over the years using design standards of the time. Contemporary design standards offer improved levels of safety over older design standards. Similarly, different carriageway types have varying levels of safety when exposure is considered. Accident rates allow for comparisons to be made between different roads as they consider the frequency of accidents against the number of vehicle kilometres travelled. Whilst dual or motorway standard carriageways may represent the safest driving environment, with respect to accidents, such infrastructure is not always appropriate or viable. The greater length of the trunk road network in Scotland consists of single carriageway. The Scottish trunk road network comprises 2,381 kilometres of single carriageway, 512 kilometres of dual carriageway and 539 kilometres of motorway (including slip roads). The average accident rate for each carriageway type respectively is 0.213, 0.094 and 0.069 per million vehicle kilometres.

We know from experience that certain elements of a road environment can create a hazard or provide a greater risk of injury should an accident occur and these are areas that should be investigated further in order to develop appropriate mitigation. Dual carriageways and single carriageways, by their nature and standard, have different predominant risks. Statistical information shows that the four main accident types on the network are: junction accidents, head-on collisions, vehicles leaving the carriageway and striking fixed objects, and accidents involving vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

Areas of risk or areas with a higher than average proportion of particular accident types will be identified through accident analysis and route assessments. Where higher than average accident rates or proportions overlap with areas where surveys have identified potential risk in the road environment, proactive risk removal strategies will be developed.

ACTION 6 RISK REDUCTION

Page 57: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

CH

APT

ER 08 AC

TIO

N P

LA

N A

CT

ION

7 P

AG

E 52

/53

The majority of Scotland’s trunk road network is rural with varying geometry and alignment where the roadside may present a range of hazards for errant vehicles leaving the carriageway. The proximity of trees, walls, larger signposts, water features, telegraph poles, etc. can present an unforgiving and disproportionate penalty for vehicle occupants. The traditional method of treating these hazards, thereby providing a safer environment for the driver, has been to use lengths of vehicle restraint systems such as safety barriers. However, recent developments in deformable roadside features, such as signposts and lamp columns, enable the road designers to consider passively safe alternatives. Passively safe features reduce the energy transferred to errant vehicles upon impact, thereby, reducing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.

Current statistical information suggests that over 60% of single vehicle injury accidents (and over 30% of all injury accidents) involve vehicles leaving the carriageway and hitting fixed objects. To reduce the severity and frequency of off-road accidents a range of Mass Action programmes will be prioritised from the available road safety resources. Some of these programmes are examined in the following actions.

Mass Action programmes are a means to address a significant number of common type accidents that, while potentially occurring across a wide area, have a common cause, theme or pattern. The implementation of such a programme involves the use of known engineering solutions to negate the actual hazards or mitigate their impact, thereby raising the overall safety performance of the route.

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will investigate the development of proactive risk removal strategies to determine if they can provide cost benefits. Where removing risk is not the most efficient use of road safety resources alternative strategies to mitigate the risk will be developed.

Page 58: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

actioN 7 risK redUctioN

sigNPost Mass actioN

The advice note “TA89/05 Use of Passively Safe Signposts, Lighting Columns and Traffic signal posts to Bs12767”, issued in 2005, is contained within the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (dMrB) and gives guidance about the use of passively safe signposts as an alternative to larger signposts. larger signposts require safety barriers on roads with a speed limit of 50mph or above. posts with a diameter of larger than 89 mm or a wall thickness of greater than 3.2 mm are considered to be larger posts and a hazard to occupants of errant vehicles.

Implementation of new guidance will provide a safer new infrastructure and allow designers the opportunity to provide a more forgiving environment. However, as the guidance is not retroactive there is no requirement to either protect or replace existing larger signposts with passively safe alternatives.

currently, 8% of single vehicle off-road accidents involve vehicles hitting signposts. accordingly, a mass action scheme was initiated to reduce risk at prioritised locations by substituting passively safe posts at larger signpost locations that are currently unprotected. site visits were undertaken to develop a strategy for each of the routes and implementation commenced in 2006. as surveys reveal the extent of larger signposts, and funding becomes available, it is hoped to extend the programme to all high-risk locations from 2007 onwards.

action – transport scotland, strategic road safety Unit, will continue the signpost Mass action: assessing signs with larger signposts and replacing them, as required, with passively safe signposts as part of an annual programme.

strategic road safety actioN PLaN

siNgLe VehicLe off-road sigNPost coLLisioNs – 1996 to 2005

crash Barrier 31%

Entered ditch 10%

lamp-post 6%

other 33%

Bus stop 0%

tree 11%

road sign 8%

submerged in Water

8%

telegraph pole Electricity pole

1%

strategic road safety plan

Page 59: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

ROAD RESTRAINT SYSTEM MASS ACTION

Road restraint systems are installed throughout the network to protect drivers from a range of potential hazards such as large signs, water courses, steep embankments, and bridge abutments. The most common type of vehicle restraint system is the safety barrier. The new design standard in the DMRB, TD19/06, which relates to the provision of road restraint systems provides a risk-based framework to aid optimal design choices.

It is important that the layout of road restraint systems is such that the hazard they themselves present to the road user is minimised. Currently, around one-third of single vehicle road accidents on the network involve vehicles hitting safety barriers, and there are many more vehicle-to-vehicle collisions that ultimately lead to a secondary collision with safety barrier. These safety barriers would likely have prevented the errant vehicles from impacting on hazards behind the barrier and ultimately will have reduced the number and severity of injury accidents that would have occurred otherwise. However, it is recognised that modern barrier designs have the potential to reduce the number and severity of injury accidents further.

It has been recognised that the original design of ramped end terminals, which were historically provided at the start and end of each barrier installation, can present a hazard to motorists. Following a number of accidents where vehicles have travelled up ramped end terminals, rather than being retained by them, the new standards now stipulate that ramped end terminals should not be used on the approach to safety barriers. Full-height P4 terminals are now to be used at the approach to safety barriers on all new installations. However, a legacy of ramped end terminals remains on the trunk road network and will remain until they are replaced with P4 terminals. A programme to identify and remove those installations most likely to be struck by errant vehicles will reduce the risk to motorists.

The design and detailing of road restraint systems is also under constant review from many interested groups, e.g. motorcyclists, pedestrians and disabled road users. This can result in design improvements and innovation. One example of a product which has been developed to enhance the safety of barriers for motorcyclists is “Bikeguard”, which can be added to certain types of safety barrier to reduce the likelihood of motorcyclists being injured by the posts of the safety barrier. TD19/06 recommends the use of this type of product at high-risk sites.

ACTION 8 RISK REDUCTION

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN

CH

APT

ER 08 AC

TIO

N P

LA

N A

CT

ION

8 P

AG

E 5

4/5

5

Page 60: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will upgrade road restraint systems at high-risk locations with new ‘crash-friendly’ arrangements.

Crash Barrier 31%

SINGLE VEHICLE OFF-ROAD CRASH BARRIER COLLISIONS – 1996 TO 2005

Entered Ditch 10%

Lamp-post 6%

Other 33%

Bus Stop 0%

Tree 11%

Road Sign 8%

Submerged in Water

8%

Telegraph Pole Electricity Pole

1%

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 61: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

TREE MASS ACTION

Transport Scotland is participating in a UK Technical Project Board established with the aim of developing a strategy to achieve a 50% reduction in tree-related casualties. The initial findings and advice are not anticipated until 2008. The Strategic Road Safety Unit, however, will continue to introduce appropriate remedial measures on a case-by-case basis as required.

Aside from the critical environmental role trees have through landscape mitigation, pollution absorption, biodiversity and wildlife they can also have an important engineering role. Trees provide slope stability, delineate highway alignments and can segregate facilities. The subject of tree-related accidents is of particular interest to Transport Scotland, as much of the Scottish trunk road network is tree-lined. 11% of single vehicle off-road accidents involve trees being struck. Furthermore, analysis has shown tree-related accidents to have a significantly higher ratio of accidents resulting in death or serious injury. Transport Scotland recognise there is an important balance to be struck between the protection and enhancement of the environment and the need to manage and operate a safe, reliable road network.

ACTION 9 RISK REDUCTION

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will continue to participate in the development of a UK wide strategy to reduce tree-related risk and take forward any appropriate mass action treatments that may be determined.

SINGLE VEHICLE OFF-ROAD TREE COLLISIONS - 1996 TO 2005

Crash Barrier 31%

Entered Ditch 10%

Lamp-post 6%

Other 33%

Bus Stop 0%

Tree 11%

Road Sign 8%

Submerged in Water

8%

Telegraph Pole Electricity Pole

1%

CH

APT

ER 08 AC

TIO

N P

LA

N A

CT

ION

9 &

10 P

AG

E 5

6/57

Page 62: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

SAFER RURAL JUNCTIONS

We know from experience that certain elements of road design provide a greater risk of injury should an accident occur and that the risk is increased in the rural environment where vehicle speeds are higher. Much of our rural network contains a high density of junctions and accesses, both to farms and residential properties, and many older road layouts have problems with restricted geometry and poor visibility.

An increased risk of accidents can occur when there is a mix of high-speed through traffic and low-speed turning traffic. In those situations where conflicting traffic movements can result in high energy side impacts, such as at T-junctions, there is an increased risk of severe injuries as vehicle occupants are particularly vulnerable to side impacts. Roundabouts, while often recording higher frequencies of ‘damage only’ or ‘slight injury accidents’, are less likely to experience accidents resulting in death or serious injuries due to lower vehicle speeds and lesser impact angles.

Improving rural junction safety, considering elements such as protected right turns and improved sightlines, or revising the junction provision, will have a positive influence on our targets to reduce the number of road users killed or seriously injured.

The most problematic junctions on the trunk road network are typically addressed through Major and Minor Improvements. However, it would be beneficial to develop a risk assessment process to produce a prioritised list of locations, ranked by both frequency and severity of accidents, that would serve to inform decision making on Major and Minor Improvements. This would also allow the implementation of an annual ‘safer rural junctions’ programme for locations not scheduled for improvements through other initiatives and ensure safety at the local road network interface is investigated and addressed sequentially according to merit.

ACTION 10 RISK REDUCTION

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN

T/Y Junction 41%

Crossroads 6%

Roundabout 23%

Other Junction 12%

Slip Road 18%

ACCIDENTS AT JUNCTIONS BY JUNCTION TYPE - 1996 TO 2005

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 63: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN

CH

APT

ER 08 AC

TIO

N P

LA

N A

CT

ION

11 P

AG

E 5

8/5

9

FATAL/SERIOUS INJURY ACCIDENTS BY JUNCTION TYPE – 1996 TO 2005

20

15

10

05

0All accident

KSI

Fata

l/Ser

ious

per

cent

age 25

30

All junctionaccident

KSI

T/Y junction

KSI

RoundaboutKSI

Other junction

type KSI

Fatal/Serious injury accident category

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will develop a risk assessment process to rank rural junctions for improvements, where not planned elsewhere. A safer rural junctions programme will be initiated to prioritise interventions at locations presenting the highest risk.

Page 64: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

ROAD USERS AT HIGHER RISK OF DEATH OR INJURY

Road users who may be considered vulnerable are those who are at a higher risk of being involved in an accident and/or may be more likely to suffer death or injury should an accident occur. Both the young and elderly are classed as vulnerable as are those non-motorised users such as pedestrians or cyclists. Disabled users, whether through physical or mental impairment, can be more vulnerable in the road environment. Motorcyclists, as with pedestrians and cyclists, have less protection should an accident occur and as such are considered vulnerable users.

Vulnerable road users do not always fall in to neat categories and overlaps can often occur in different categories, for example an elderly pedestrian or child cyclist. They require particular consideration in the design process of new or improvement schemes.

The 2010 casualty reduction targets adopted by Transport Scotland specifically consider child casualties. The target of a 50% reduction by 2010 is well on course to be achieved across the Scottish trunk road network. Measures such as the 20mph at schools initiative will help improve the child road safety culture and Transport Scotland will continue with efforts to reduce child casualties.

ACTION 11 VULNERABLE ROAD USERS

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

No.

of a

ccid

ents

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Slight

KSI

Children

Year

PEDESTRIAN-INVOLVED ACCIDENTS – 1995 TO 2005

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 65: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

While cyclists only account for a small proportion of the total Scottish trunk road accidents (less than 2%) cycling is being encouraged as a sustainable transport mode and it is increasing in popularity both with commuters and leisure users. Transport Scotland is working to improve cycling provision with cycle friendly design and the expansion of the National Cycle Network.

Transport Scotland recognises its responsibilities and duties under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005, in relation to roads. Transport Scotland’s Trunk Road Network Disability Equality - Scheme and Action Plan sets out the promotion of positive attitudes and encourages participation of disabled people. One of the objectives within the plan is to develop all professional and technical staff involved in the design, maintenance and operation of the trunk road network to recognise and understand the needs of disabled road users.

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will continue to give particular consideration to vulnerable road users and fulfil its responsibilities and duties under the Disability Discrimination Act.

CH

APT

ER 08 AC

TIO

N P

LA

N A

CT

ION

12 P

AG

E 6

0/61

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

No.

of a

ccid

ents

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Year

CYCLIST-INVOLVED ACCIDENTS – 1995 TO 2005

Page 66: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

MOTORCYCLIST SAFETY

Transport Scotland is committed to taking into account the needs of motorcyclists and to finding ways to increase their safety.

In Scotland it is recognised that motorcycling accidents are increasing, particularly when considered as a percentage of all fatal and serious injury accidents. It has also been noted that there appeared to be a higher instance of biking accidents brought about partly by the increase of sales of motorcycles and by the motorcycling press which was encouraging bikers to use Scottish roads for exhilarating leisure activity.

The Scottish Executive commissioned the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) to carry out studies into motorcycle accidents and casualties in Scotland between 1992 and 2002 and, thereafter, to undertake a risk assessment of bikers which might help inform future safety campaigns. Whilst the initial report identified increases in motorcycling accidents, it also confirmed that because of increasing usage the actual casualty rate per million vehicle kilometres for every one thousand licensed bikes was not rising. Not unexpectedly, it also identified that trunk roads were likely to demonstrate higher numbers of fatal and serious casualties and that, of those accidents, left-hand bends and an age group of between 31 and 45 were likely to be factors.

On a practical level, TRL was further commissioned to investigate typical hazards that confront riders on the trunk road network. TRL’s Databike, which is fitted with video and telemetry equipment, was used to survey trunk road routes popular with motorcyclists in order to compile a database of potential hazards. As a result, issues such as inappropriate placement of white lines or ironworks, the foreshortened lengths of anti-skid surfacing in braking zones and off-road hazards are now forming the basis of specific measures targeted at reducing the frequency and severity of motorcycle accidents.

Targeting specific measures will form part of an ongoing strategy aimed at delivering the commitment given in Scotland’s National Transport Strategy which was to ensure the percentage of motorcycle accidents reduces in line with the 2010 targets, for all road users killed and seriously injured. Transport Scotland will continue to improve its knowledge of motorcycle accidents and develop appropriate interventions. Every effort will be made to ensure road designs and standards consider fully the needs of motorcyclists.

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN

ACTION 12 VULNERABLE ROAD USERS

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 67: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will further develop its understanding of motorcycling issues and advance and implement road safety measures directed specifically to motorcyclists.

YOUNG DRIVERS

Young drivers are at greater risk of being involved in road accidents due to inexperience in the roads environment. A lack of ability in anticipating potential hazards, combined with youthful exuberance and peer pressure, may be some of the factors which encourage speeds which are too high or which are inappropriate for the conditions or the location.

The total number of accidents involving young drivers on trunk roads has remained more or less constant over the last ten years although accident frequency figures for the most recent period do indicate a slight improvement. Nevertheless, any over-representation within this group has to be seen as unacceptable and worthy of particular attention. Engineering measures are continually being reviewed and improved to ensure that adequate information is given to road users to allow them to make more informed choices. However, these are not always enough and programmes have been developed to better train novice drivers. Pass Plus training gives new drivers additional tuition in safe driving, covering potential dangers such as driving in town, driving in all weathers, driving at night, and driving on rural roads, dual carriageways and motorways.

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN

CH

APT

ER 08 AC

TIO

N P

LA

N A

CT

ION

13 P

AG

E 62

/63

ACTION 13 VULNERABLE ROAD USERS

MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTS AS A PERCENTAGE OF ALL KSI ACCIDENTS

14

12

10

08

06

04

02

01994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Perc

enta

ge (

%)

Year

Percentage of all KSI

Page 68: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

Campaigns orchestrated by Road Safety Scotland and funded by the Scottish Government are also helping to raise awareness about many of the issues that affect the safe and responsible use of vehicles. Road Safety Scotland also contributes to national safety campaigns organised by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS). ACPOS holds various “days of action” and longer-term campaigns to address specific driving behaviour issues, e.g., speeding, seat belts, mobile phones, drunk driving, etc. Both Road Safety Scotland and the Scottish Safety Camera Programme contribute to these “days of action” and campaigns.

Accident analysis of trunk roads has highlighted where young drivers are being involved in a disproportionate number of accidents. A recent study into tree-related risk found young drivers were more likely than any other age group to be involved in a tree-related accident late at night or early in the morning. This can often point to behavioural issues and, whilst engineering measures can convey awareness of hazards through ‘self explaining’ roads or provide protection from hazards, we will work with our partners in Education and Enforcement to address these behavioural issues.

Partnership working in this area will be key in ensuring individual efforts are combined to form an effective complementary strategy. Transport Scotland has experience in working with Police and education organisations through a number of initiatives, including Young Driver Awareness days and the A77 Safety Group. It will be important to build upon that experience to ensure that the key messages are conveyed to Young Drivers.

More in-depth analysis of trunk road accidents involving Young Drivers will help to understand where and when they are experiencing problems. This will help in the development of key messages to the age group. Transport Scotland will develop its analysis of Young Driver accidents and use its experience to work in partnership with stakeholders in education and enforcement to deliver a series of regional Young Driver Awareness Days conveying key messages.

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 69: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

CH

APT

ER 08 AC

TIO

N P

LA

N A

CT

ION

14 P

AG

E 6

4/6

5

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, remains committed to lowering the incidence of accidents involving this high-risk group. It will develop a targeted accident programme and liaise closely with other road safety partners to implement projects such as Regional Driver Awareness Days.

ACCIDENT RATES BY AGE GROUP PER THOUSAND POPULATION 2001 TO 2005 AVERAGE

8

6

4

2

017-22 23-29 30-59

Acc

iden

t ra

te

Age Group

60+

Page 70: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

20MPH LIMITS AT SCHOOLS

In September 2003, a Ministerial announcement confirmed measures to assist roads authorities in implementing 20mph limits at schools. The initiative is intended to enable roads authorities to raise awareness of appropriate speeds within communities and contribute to the efforts in pedestrian casualty reduction – particularly with regard to children.

In conjunction with the police forces, local authority representatives and its operating companies, the Strategic Road Safety Unit carried out a survey of all schools adjacent to trunk roads in order to determine those locations that would benefit from mandatory reduced 20mph limits. Further working groups were then set up to investigate the particular signing needs of the higher-speed roads where drivers might need improved advance warning of the part-time speed limit. The results of these investigations were subsequently agreed by all roads authorities and are now being seen on the ground, with many sites already benefiting from the speed management measures in operation at times when the pupils are going to and from school.

Indicators in Road Accidents Scotland 2005 document all show a positive downward trend in child pedestrian casualties. The reasons for this are unlikely to be as a result of one single initiative or programme, but the ethos of lowered speeds in the vicinity of vulnerable road users can only help to sustain the efforts to reduce child pedestrian casualty figures.

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will ensure that an adequate monitoring programme is in place to record the performance of 20mph limits outside schools on the trunk roads.

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN

ACTION 14 VULNERABLE ROAD USERS

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 71: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

VEHICLE ACTIVATED SIGN (VAS) PROGRAMME

Advances in modern technology and the need to engage and inform drivers in a more focused manner has led both roads authorities and sign manufacturers to look closely at the development and use of intelligent road signs. Such signs are becoming more sophisticated and cost-effective and may be used on a site-specific or route strategy basis in order to direct information at users who drive at speeds which are inappropriate for the prevailing conditions. The signs’ ability to be powered by sun or wind is also an attractive property for rural locations and those authorities wishing to adhere to ‘green’ principles whilst still addressing real accident or speed problems. Studies have also shown that the signs’ impact on driver behaviour can be significant and their benefits need not be short-lived.

If the benefits of this emerging technology are to be harnessed to produce long-lasting and positive road safety benefits the use of vehicle activated signs must be structured and monitored in order to ensure their most effective use.

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, commit to more widespread use of VAS delivered through an annual programme. The programme will consider the requirements for monitoring, managing, and maintaining VAS.

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN

CH

APT

ER 08 AC

TIO

N P

LA

N A

CT

ION

15 &

16 P

AG

E 6

6/67

ACTION 15 RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Page 72: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

ROAD SAFETY RESEARCH

Road safety, and the influences upon safety or relative danger, is complex. Accident causation rarely falls purely into the category of the road environment and more often has influences from road user behaviour and/or from the vehicle. A greater understanding of the problems faced by road users when confronted with the various aspects that influence road safety may allow more targeted remedial action.

Road safety research is an important part of Transport Scotland’s strategy to reduce accidents. Through undertaking research it is hoped that improved and more sustained safety solutions can be developed. Dialogue will be maintained with colleagues in our standards and research branches, as well as outside agencies, in order to identify future research projects. Research is normally contracted to specialist organisations or universities; it may take the form of Behavioural, New Technology, Site-Specific, Predictive Modelling or Vehicle Characteristics research.

It is critical that all research is published and disseminated so the broader industry can consider the findings.

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will commission, publish and disseminate research findings to all road safety practitioners.

ACTION 16 RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 73: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

ACTION 17 RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

DEMONSTRATION ROAD SAFETY PROJECTS

‘Demonstration’ projects, by their nature, implement cutting-edge solutions, and can bring together existing best practice, raise standards and share knowledge. If the benefits of innovation and technology are to be maximised, it is essential that controlled trials are undertaken to evaluate new solutions.

Developments in technology can often have practical applications in the field of accident prevention. The potential of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) solutions and innovative materials and products will play a large part in future casualty reduction. For this reason it is intended to develop a receptive culture within which manufacturers and designers are encouraged to work with Transport Scotland in developing new ways forward.

Transport Scotland is currently utilising the developments in technology to introduce a tailgating warning system to communicate to drivers the dangers of driving too close to the vehicle in front. The system will operate on an advisory basis and measure the headway between vehicles through permanent traffic loops. The loops will be connected to specially designed vehicle activated signs, so that, when the system senses that a vehicle is failing to maintain an acceptable distance from the vehicle in front for the speed at which it is travelling, a message will be displayed advising the driver to increase the gap between themselves and the vehicle in front.

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will harness developments in technology and bring forward demonstration projects that will raise awareness and disseminate knowledge and best practice.

CH

APT

ER 08 AC

TIO

N P

LA

N A

CT

ION

17 &

18 P

AG

E 6

8/6

9

Page 74: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

REVIEW OF SPEED LIMITS

Revised guidance entitled Setting Local Speed Limits, issued by the Scottish Government in August 2006, outlined the framework for roads authorities to determine appropriate speeds on all single and dual carriageway roads with limits (other than 20mph) that are consistent, understood by drivers, and appropriate for the environment and circumstances of their use. At the heart of the review is a desire to focus on improving driver behaviour within the roads environment and enable consistent enforcement of realistic speed limits that will help add to the identified accident reduction benefits accruing from lowered speeds. By their very nature, strategic trunk roads must be able to provide quick and efficient transport between important commercial and residential centres. Within this overall context, however, appropriate speed limits will be considered for those locations where roads pass through populated areas.

Upgrading and improving the network is a continuous programme. This programme is steadily improving an infrastructure that has largely evolved from traditional historic routes into the modern standards of highway design enjoyed by road users on much of the network today. Whilst the network must demonstrate efficient and safe routes for both the public and industry to access all areas it must also recognise that existing road geometry, natural features, and the presence of towns or villages impose constraints. Such constraints regularly dictate that the national speed limit is not always appropriate and, as such, we should endeavour to provide appropriate local speed limits.

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will facilitate and oversee a review of speed limits on trunk road routes by 2011.

ACTION 18 SPEED MANAGEMENT

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN

Page 75: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

ACTION 19 SPEED MANAGEMENT

SAFETY CAMERA PARTNERSHIPS AND SPEED ENFORCEMENT

The link between inappropriate or high vehicle speeds and the incidence of traffic accidents and their severity is well documented. The Government recognised that, if significant inroads are to be made into the number of high-speed accidents, a means had to be developed to allow a sustained and targeted programme that would complement more traditional road policing methods. The eight Safety Camera Partnerships in Scotland enable roads’ authorities, the Police and other emergency services, as well as the Scottish Court Service and Procurator Fiscal Service, to come together in partnership and develop evidence-led enforcement strategies that are focused specifically on accidents and speeding in their own areas. From the early days of the scheme trials and the introduction of the hypothecated funding arrangements, members of Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Unit have been closely involved and continue to represent trunk road interests within the Programme. Annual reports from the Safety Camera Programme Office indicate that enforcement at the targeted areas has had a significant effect on both vehicle speeds and accidents. The targeted approach, whereby safety cameras are only located on roads with a significant accident history and also an identified speeding problem, is an essential element in maintaining public support for the initiative.

The funding of the Scottish Safety Camera Programme through hypothecation of the income from fixed penalty notices ended on the 31 March 2007. From then, funding of the Programme has been through an annual grant from the Scottish Government. This more secure funding mechanism will allow the Partnerships to plan their operations in a more strategic manner and allow an intelligence led enforcement regime to be developed and implemented. In practice this will mean that the Partnerships will use speed and traffic flow data to plan their operations to target specific locations at the times when speeding has been identified as a problem.

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will continue to participate in all aspects of the Safety Camera Programme with the aim of promoting improved speed limit compliance and a consequent reduction in speed-related accidents.

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN

CH

APT

ER 08 AC

TIO

N P

LA

N A

CT

ION

19 &

20 P

AG

E 70/71

Page 76: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

SPEED MANAGEMENT AT ROADWORKS

The primary aim of a speed management strategy at roadworks is improved safety through reduction of risk. Risk reduction at roadworks is aimed at improving safety for both road workers and road users. Road workers in Britain have one of the highest workplace mortality rates.

An effective speed management strategy can have secondary benefits. Average speed enforcement improves traffic flow and reduces congestion on the approaches to roadworks. Improved traffic flow at roadworks will encourage drivers to stay on the road and not divert onto other routes that may be unsuitable for the nature and volume of traffic.

An ‘intelligence-led’ approach is needed in the design and implementation of speed management at major roadworks schemes. Emerging solutions, such as vehicle activated signs and average speed enforcement, are broadening the potential management solutions. The development of a guidance document would share best practice and provide a framework for the development of speed management strategies. In turn, this will provide greater consistency and improved understanding and acceptance by drivers and the travelling public.

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will develop a ‘Speed Management at Roadworks’ guidance document.

ACTION 20 SPEED MANAGEMENT

Page 77: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

ACTION 21 SPEED MANAGEMENT

AVERAGE SPEED ENFORCEMENT

Average Speed Enforcement has excellent levels of compliance and acts as a deterrent first and an enforcement tool second. Ensuring compliance with lower and more appropriate speeds has a number of benefits including road user safety, improved road worker safety, improved traffic management and reduced carbon emissions.

A pilot road safety scheme is ongoing on the A77 Trunk Road and the early indications are very positive. Since the installation of the system, the number of vehicles exceeding the speed limit has dropped by 80% and the number of personal injury accidents has dropped by 23%, while those being killed or seriously injured have halved. The effectiveness of the system will be fully assessed when 3 years ‘after’ data is available. This will allow Transport Scotland to assess the feasibility of future average speed strategies.

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will fully assess the A77 pilot in developing our future average speed enforcement strategy.

CH

APT

ER 08 AC

TIO

N P

LA

N A

CT

ION

21 &

22 P

AG

E 7

2/7

3

Page 78: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

EuroRAP

EuroRAP, the European Road Assessment Programme, is dedicated to saving lives across Europe by making the roads themselves safer. Its members include motoring organisations, road authorities and independent experts. EuroRAP’s formal objectives are to:

reduce death and serious injury on European roads through a programme of systematic testing of risk that identifies major safety shortcomings which can be addressed by practical road improvement measures;

ensure assessment of risk lies at the heart of strategic decisions on route improvements, crash protection, and standards of route management; and

forge partnerships between those responsible for a safe roads system – motoring organisations, vehicle manufacturers and road authorities.

EuroRAP provides three protocols that can be applied to any country:

Risk Mapping – colour-coded maps showing the risk of death and serious injury that road users face on different roads, with extra mapping for road authorities;

Star Rating – a Star Rating showing how well a road protects road users if a crash occurs; and

Performance Tracking – identifying whether fewer people are being killed or seriously injured on a road over time and identifying the countermeasures that are most effective.

EuroRAP is helpful in raising awareness of high risk roads and showing how the application of treatments can successfully reduce casualties. Transport Scotland has participated in EuroRAP almost from its early stages and has found the organisation a valuable forum to share best practice and increase awareness of relevant research.

Action – As ‘Authority Members’ of EuroRAP Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will continue to work in partnership with EuroRAP to develop risk-based mapping of the trunk road network.

ACTION 22 WORKING WITH PARTNERS

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN

Page 79: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

ACTION 23 WORKING WITH PARTNERS

DEVELOP STAKEHOLDER LIAISON

Road safety is a shared responsibility, and a key component in achieving the Government’s casualty reduction targets for 2010 is partnership working. Transport Scotland’s experience gained through participation in many road safety forums has shown that effective formal and informal partnering structures provide a successful framework for delivery of a co-ordinated road safety programme.

Transport Scotland continues to operate an open approach environment and actively engages with relevant stakeholders. Particular consideration will be given to Scottish Government Transport Directorate, Regional Transport Partnerships, local authorities, police forces, Road Safety Scotland, Safety Camera Programme, Society of Chief Officers of Transportation Scotland (SCOTS) and other forums to ensure cross-organisation interests are met and that our respective efforts are integrated and complementary.

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will sustain and develop liaison with all parties to ensure effective delivery of the wider road safety programme.

ACTION 24 WORKING WITH PARTNERS

TRUNK ROAD SAFETY PARTNERSHIP

If route strategies and mass actions are to be successful, ownership has to be taken by all relevant stakeholders. Many of the early initiatives – for instance on the A9 between Perth and Inverness – were based on close working relationships with the police and local authorities. This practice has worked well and continues to form the template for many of the route treatments carried out today.

Transport Scotland utilised and expanded this knowledge base when it launched the A77 Safety Group in 2004. The group comprises the local authority, the police, the fire & rescue service, the Safety Camera Partnership, the relevant operating company and a local radio station. The Group recognises that partnership working is key to delivering a co-ordinated road safety effort, and combines engineering, enforcement, education and encouragement in order to reduce accidents on the A77. Considerable effort has been channelled towards involving road users and raising awareness of the importance of drivers being responsible for their own safety. The Group was awarded a Prince Michael International Road Safety Award in recognition of its efforts in pioneering effective partnership working.

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will ensure that the successful elements of this partnership are implemented elsewhere on the network.

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN

CH

APT

ER 08 AC

TIO

N P

LA

N A

CT

ION

23

,24

& 2

5 P

AG

E 74

/75

Page 80: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

ROAD SAFETY AUDIT QUALITY CONTROL

The existing trunk road network is constantly monitored and assessed to ensure that improvements can be introduced through a structured programme; this makes sure the infrastructure provides a safe and efficient facility for all road users. There will, however, be occasions when circumstances dictate that existing sections of road are replaced or upgraded in order to provide greater capacity, cater for development, and improve safety or improve journey times. When this happens, comprehensive design manuals afford engineers the tools to produce modern structures and road layouts using the latest techniques and materials. Ultimately, however, there is a need to ensure that the sum of the individual features incorporated in the new scheme do not conflict or sit uneasily with each other or with the existing road environment. The safety audit process is designed to check the scheme as it develops and design out potential safety problems before the new facility is opened to the travelling public. It also enables Transport Scotland, as the overseeing organisation, the opportunity to ensure that the integrity and standards required by the specialist safety auditors are uniformly maintained by all practitioners.

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will consider the requirements of the current safety audit process and explore with interested parties the feasibility of introducing a robust quality system that can highlight any deficiencies in design features or audit processes.

ACTION 25 CONTINUING IMPROVEMENT

Page 81: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

actioN 26 coNtiNUiNg iMProVeMeNt

sUstaiNabiLity throUgh the deVeLoPMeNt of a road safety bUsiNess PLaN

Injury accidents have a negative impact on the scottish Government’s aim of “promoting economic growth, social inclusion, health, and the protection of our environment”, and can be expressed in terms of a monetary value.

signing, lining and anti-skid treatment can be effective at mitigating hazards at accident clusters and demonstrate very good economic benefits. Accident remedial measures demonstrate economic savings commonly referred to in terms of a First Year rate of return (FYrr). However, low-cost remedial measures often require additional maintenance over the life of the road in order to keep their effectiveness, and mitigating a hazard is never as effective as removing it. though more expensive, removing hazards by designing them out will reduce more accidents over time and provide a more sustainable and safer road environment.

a road safety Business plan should be developed to better facilitate road safety investment aimed at reducing the heavy cost of accidents on scotland’s society.

action – transport scotland, strategic road safety Unit, will review the current economic criteria, i.e. first year rate of return, and consider how a road safety business Plan can be developed to give greater weighting to more expensive solutions that design out risk.

cH

apt

Er 08 aC

tIo

n p

la

n a

Ct

Ion

26

& 2

7 p

ag

e 76

/77

Page 82: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

ROAD SAFETY CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

It is a vital part of road safety work to promote and share knowledge within fields of expertise. Transport Scotland, as a Centre of Excellence, actively promotes training and shared knowledge. In 2006, Transport Scotland facilitated two separate courses that promoted good practice amongst road safety practitioners: the RoSPA Road Safety Engineering course for engineers new to the road safety field, and the Passive Revolution seminar that gave an insight into the importance of designing safer roadsides and the use of passively safe products.

Training and seminars of this nature play a very important role in maintaining the high standards within the road safety profession in Scotland. These standards are largely responsible for Scotland having one of the safest road networks in the world. The investment required to facilitate training and seminars is nominal when considered against the wider benefits gained across road safety in Scotland.

Action – Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will continue to facilitate road safety training and seminars open to all road safety practitioners in Scotland.

ACTION 27 CONTINUING IMPROVEMENT

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN

Page 83: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN

CH

APT

ER 08 AC

TIO

N P

LA

N P

RO

GR

AM

ME

PA

GE

78/79

ACTION NUMBER

SUBJECT TITLE ACTION PROGRAMME

1

Analysis &Knowledge

Route Safety Files

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will develop route safety files that will hold a knowledge base to inform future road safety prioritisation. The effectiveness of the road safety improvements will be monitored against the targets set for the individual routes

Develop pilot routes in 2007-2008 and implement network wide in 2008-2009

2Moving Cursor Programme

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will review the MCP intervention levels and consider how the programme might be further developed to ensure its future effectiveness

Ongoing

3Historical Fatal and Serious Accident Sites

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will develop a specific programme to identify treatments for historic locations that demonstrate recurring accident patterns and develop an approach to tackle these sites

Annual Programme from 2008-2009

4Develop SERIS Accident Manager

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will continue to enhance the capability, flexibility and accuracy of the Accident Manager function

Ongoing

5Fatal Accident Observation

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will continue to attend all fatal accident sites and will maintain and improve the existing database

Ongoing

6

Risk Reduction

Proactive Risk Removal

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will investigate the development of proactive risk removal strategies to determine if they can provide cost benefits. Where removing risk is not the most efficient use of road safety resources alternative strategies to mitigate the risk will be developed

Annual Programme from 2007-2008

7 Signpost Mass Action

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will continue the Signpost Mass Action: assessing signs with larger signposts and replacing them, as required, with passively safe signposts as part of an annual programme

Ongoing

8Road Restraint SystemMass Action

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will upgrade road restraint systems at high-risk locations with new crash-friendly arrangements

Annual Programme from 2007-2008

Page 84: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

ACTION NUMBER

SUBJECT TITLE ACTION PROGRAMME

9

Risk Reduction

Tree Mass Action

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will continue to participate in the development of a national strategy to reduce tree-related risk and take forward any appropriate mass action treatments that may be determined

Annual Programme from 2008-2009

10Safer Rural Junctions

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will develop a risk assessment process to rank rural junctions for improvements, where not planned elsewhere. A safer rural junctions programme will be initiated to prioritise interventions at locations presenting the highest risk

Annual Programme from 2008-2009

11

Vulnerable Road Users

Road Users at Higher Risk of Accidents or Injury

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will continue to give particular consideration to vulnerable road users and fulfil its responsibilities and duties under the Disability Discrimination Act

Ongoing

12Motorcyclist Safety

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will further develop its understanding of motorcycling issues and advance and implement road safety measures directed specifically to motorcyclists

Ongoing

13 Young Drivers

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, remains committed to lowering the incidence of accidents involving this high-risk group. It will develop a targeted accident programme and liaise closely with other road safety partners to implement projects such as Regional Driver Awareness Days

Annual Programme from 2007-2008

1420mph Limits at Schools

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will ensure that an adequate monitoring programme is in place to record the performance of 20mph limits outside schools on the trunk roads

Ongoing

15

Research & Development

Vehicle Activated Sign (VAS) Programme

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, commit to more widespread use of VAS delivered through an annual programme. This programme will the requirements for monitoring, managing, and maintaining their use

Annual Programme from 2008-2009

16Road Safety Research

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will commission, publish and disseminate research findings to all road safety practitioners

Ongoing

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 85: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

ACTION NUMBER

SUBJECT TITLE ACTION PROGRAMME

17Research & Development

Demonstration Road SafetyProjects

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will harness developments in technology and bring forward demonstration projects that will raise awareness and disseminate knowledge and best practice

Annual Programme from 2007-2008

18

Speed Management

Review of Speed Limits

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will facilitate and oversee a review of speed limits on trunk road routes by 2011

2007 - 2011

19

Safety Camera Partnershipsand Speed Enforcement

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will continue to participate in all aspects of the Safety Camera Programme with the aim of promoting improved speed limit compliance and a consequent reduction in speed-related accidents

Ongoing

20Speed Management atRoadworks

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will develop a ‘Speed Management at Roadworks’ guidance document

April 2008

21Average Speed Enforcement

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will fully assess the A77 pilot in developing our future average speed enforcement strategy.

2007 - 2008

22

Working With Partners

EuroRAPTransport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will continue to work in partnership with EuroRAP to develop risk-based mapping of the trunk road network

2007 - 2008

23Develop Stakeholder Liaison

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will sustain and develop liaison with all parties to ensure effective delivery of the wider road safety programme

Annual Programme from 2007-2008

24Trunk Road Safety Partnership

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will ensure that the successful elements of this partnership are implemented elsewhere on the network

Annual Programme from 2008-2009

CH

APT

ER 08 AC

TIO

N P

LA

N P

RO

GR

AM

ME

PA

GE

80/81

Page 86: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

ACTION NUMBER

SUBJECT TITLE ACTION PROGRAMME

25

Continuing Improvement

Road Safety AuditQuality Control

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will consider the requirements of the current safety audit process and explore with interested parties the feasibility of introducing a robust quality system that can highlight any deficiencies in design features or audit processes

April 2008

26

Sustainability through the development of a Road Safety Business Plan

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will review the current economic criteria, i.e. First Year Rate of Return, and consider how a Road Safety Business Plan can be developed to give greater weighting to more expensive solutions that design out risk

April 2008

27

Road Safety Continuing Professional Development

Transport Scotland, Strategic Road Safety Unit, will continue to facilitate road safety training and seminars, open to all road safety practitioners in Scotland

Ongoing

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN

STRATEGIC ROAD SAFETY PLAN

Page 87: Strategic Road Safety Plan - UK Roads Ltd Scotland - Strategic Road Safet… · Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan is an important element of the Governments road safety

© Crown copyright 2007

This document is also available on the Transport Scotland website: www.transportscotland.gov.uk

RR Donnelley B50632 11/07

Further copies are available fromBlackwell’s Bookshop53 South BridgeEdinburghEH1 1YS

Telephone orders and enquiries0131 622 8283 or 0131 622 8258

Fax orders0131 557 8149

Email [email protected]

An agency of

w w w . t r a n s p o r t s c o t l a n d . g o v . u k

Further copies of this document are available, on request, in audio and large print formats and in community languages, please contact:

[email protected] or phone 0141 272 7100

strategic road safety plan

str

ateg

ic r

oa

d s

af

et

y p

la

n


Recommended