Highway Safety Policy Statements - February 2001
Siting of Street Furniture
Street furniture should be sited using the principles embodied in ‘Safety Audit’ guidelines. Particular care should be taken in the design of cycle paths. Each installation should be subject to a simple safety consideration / audit to identify any safety deficiencies inherent in the proposals. Infrastructure owners and managers should periodically review the location of street furniture from a safety perspective, removing redundant or unsafe facilities.
Local Safety Schemes
Local Safety Schemes have been proven to represent a positive economic rate of return on public expenditure as accident reduction remedial measures. RoSPA supports the principle of ‘ring-fencing’ budget allocations for Local Safety Schemes to ensure the achievement of substantial accident reductions. However, RoSPA has concerns at the loss of this "ring fencing" with the introduction of Local Transport Plans.
RoSPA supports the principles of urban & rural safety management strategies as an essential element of Local Transport Plans. It is essential that all schemes and projects are thoroughly monitored and evaluated to ensure a consistently effective approach. The use of the TRL/CSS sponsored Molases database (MOnitoring of Local Authority Safety SchemES) is an important element to disseminate the benefits of local safety schemes.
Highway Maintenance and the Safety of Road-Users
Highway maintenance operations are essential to ensure safety for all road-users. However, care must be exercised during the execution of planned operations to ensure that all traffic is managed adequately and to ensure the provision of appropriate and safe access for all vulnerable road users (pedestrians and cyclists). Safeguarding pedestrian facilities is essential, and special recognition must be given to the needs of children, people with disabilities and those who are elderly or suffer mobility impairment. The ‘Traffic Signs Manual (Chapter 8)’ and associated guidance provides adequate information for those who are responsible for such maintenance.
Safety Audit
The safety audit process should be applied to all highway authority Capital and Maintenance Schemes in addition to the current requirements on Trunk Roads. Written procedures at a senior level should be agreed to ensure consistency of audits within a defined area and with neighbouring authorities; defining when, where and how to undertake an audit. Resources allocated for audit should not detract from the activities of Highway Authority AIP units.
Measures should also be enacted to encourage the safety auditing of existing highways on a periodic basis and on all proposed placements of equipment by statutory undertakers.
New developments and changes in the infrastructure, whether private or public, should require the submission of road safety impact assessments and or road safety audit as a formal element of the planning application and approval process.
New developments and changes in the infrastructure, whether private or public, should require periodic safety audits as a formal element of their obligations to ensure optimum safety for all users.
Accident Investigation & Prevention (AIP)
RoSPA supports and promotes practitioners undertaking road safety engineering Accident Investigation & Prevention (AIP) based on best practice; the majority of which is contained within the RoSPA Road Safety Engineering Manual and Institution of Highways & Transportation (IHT) Guidelines on AIP, Urban and Rural Safety Management.
Winter Maintenance
The use of salt and grit on highway surfaces is supported as part of a pro-active and re-active winter maintenance programme if/when the temperature drops, or is expected to drop below freezing point.
Any action programme needs to be informed by accident data related to reducing the numbers of incidents in which 'loss of control' results in a increased risk of injuries; and in particular it must meet the mobility needs of vulnerable road users as modal shift begins to take place within the overall philosophy of integrated transport.
It is recognised that it may prove impossible, within existing budgets, for all local authorities with highway responsibilities to ensure that all roads are salted and/or gritted on each occasion. Objective criteria must be adopted and employed to ensure that critical routes are dealt with as a priority, and that some subordinate roads may not be covered.
The use of thermal mapping techniques and automatic ice detection equipment can help local authorities in making decisions about whether and when to use salt and/or grit. Special measures should be used to protect structures prone to salt corrosion.
Traffic Signal Cameras
Traffic signals are often introduced to improve traffic flow and to reduce the number of accidents at junctions. However, some drivers fail to stop when the traffic signals show a red light. Accident rates attributable to red-light running have increased throughout the UK over recent years (CSS, 1990), with reported increases in the region of 22% between the three-year periods of 1981-1983 and 1987-1989.
Some drivers cross a red light because they have entered a junction before the onset of the red phase. Others do so because they approach the junction (or a light-controlled pedestrian crossing) at an inappropriate speed and decide they are unable to stop safely. And, some drivers could stop safely but choose to cross the red light deliberately.
Red-light running may be reduced by junction design and inter-green light timings. However, enforcement is also an essential measure, especially against drivers who commit deliberate violations. Traffic Signal Cameras, that photograph vehicles which cross a junction or light controlled pedestrian crossing, are proving to be effective.
Traffic Signal Camera systems comprise:
- two loop detectors per lane placed just after the stop line
- a camera mounted on a pole, 15 metres back from the stop line.
The camera is linked to the phases of the traffic signals and becomes active a preset period after the red phase has engaged - generally between 0.5-1.0 seconds. A flash unit is also fitted to allow photographs to be taken at night. Two photographs are taken when a vehicle is detected crossing the stop line when the traffic signal is on red. The first is taken as soon as the vehicle crosses the stop line and the second, one second later (in order to prove that the vehicle was moving through the junction).
Additional details are recorded on the photograph including, date, time, site number, lane number, whether the amber light was showing, the length of time the red light had been showing, vehicle speed and film number. This information is used as ‘objective evidence’ if a prosecution is brought against the driver.
One camera can be moved between a number of different sites.
In order to increase the deterrent effect of the cameras, many local authorities place warning signs on the approach to the camera, or in the general area where cameras are sited, in order to inform drivers that a traffic light camera is present, and to deter them from disobeying the traffic signals.
Research published by the Home Office and ACPO shows that the use of traffic signal (and speed) cameras is increasing and that:
- the average fixed cost per traffic light site was £9,200 and on-going costs were over £5,600 per annum
- costs are met by Police Forces and Local Authorities
- accidents fell by 18% at sites where traffic signal cameras were placed
- they almost always produce a positive cost-benefit within the first year of their operation.
RoSPA supports the use of traffic signal cameras at junctions and light controlled pedestrian crossings, where there are proven accident problems related to red light violations.
RoSPA also supports the need for an Administrative Charge to be added onto fines levied against offenders to enable the cost of providing and operating the cameras to be recouped.
Safety Engineering Training
RoSPA supports all Road Safety Engineering training that consistently delivers essential information, knowledge and high quality skills for road safety professionals. All training needs to draw on the best practical and research experience available, and should be accredited by a recognised professional body. Any and all training should be regularly reviewed and consistently updated and delivered by recognised front-line and road safety practitioners.
An important new initiative is the introduction in 1999 of formal qualifications in road safety in the form of National Vocational Qualifications / Scottish Vocational Qualifications (NVQ’s/SVQ’s). RoSPA supports the level 3/4 units in road safety engineering and road safety education/training. While a few people will need full NVQ’s/SVQ’s, all involved in road safety should consider undertaking some of the relevant units.
Any and all training should be regularly reviewed and consistently updated and delivered by recognised practitioners in a fully participative environment with maximum delegate involvement. The continuing training and professional development of staff should be a key objective for every employer.
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