OUTPUT 02

Review of tools, methods and programs related to the Road Safety Audits for infrastructure projects.

The task will be implemented as part of the working package 1 Directive 2019/1936/EC – The Road Infrastructure Safety Management – international perspective.
EU countries have been obliged to implement the Road Safety Audit (RSA) procedure as part of the implementation of Directive 2008/96/EC on the roads of the TEN-T network at the planning and design stage before road operation begins and during the first year of operation. In most countries, the national road network management authorities have implemented this procedure on all their roads. Only some countries have extended the scope of the RSA to other roads.
The RSA is an independent, detailed, technical assessment of the adopted solutions in terms of road safety at all stages of planning and in the initial phase of road operation. It is an example of a proactive action aimed at eliminating proposals that generate road traffic hazards, as well as an obligation to use solutions that are safe for users at the stage of planning, designing and building new or modernising existing road infrastructure.
Under the new Directive 2019/1936/EC, the RSA should cover (as a minimum) all roads financed or co-financed by European Union funds. This significantly increases the scope of necessary road safety analyses. They should cover roads of lower class (regional or local roads and streets). This requires a review of existing procedures, the scope of necessary data and the areas of application of this procedure.

Target groups:

1. Research and teaching staff from institutions involved in the project.
2. Specialists dealing with road safety issues at the regional, national and international level.

Elements of innovation:

1. Data gathering and comparison of the methodology applied in the tools used in the RSA in Poland, Croatia, Italy and Germany.
2. Developing a set of best practices, verification of previous assumptions and scope of areas covered by the RSA in the countries of consortium participants.
3. Constructing a database with information on implemented tools and methodology of conducted analyses.

Expected impact:

Acquisition of knowledge by research and teaching staff from institutions involved in the project. Publication of joint articles and conference presentations related to the comparison of the methodology, scope and issues related to the RSA in selected EU countries.

Transferability potential:

Comparison of individual RSA methods in the countries of the partners participating in this project will allow the transfer of acquired knowledge to other EU member states and EU associated countries.

The division of work:

The work will be divided among UC, GUT, UZ, BUW and will include:
• Review of the RSIA methodology and tools.
• Comparison of methods and areas of application.
• Preparation of a set of best practices.
• Preparation of recommendations for Audit of roads of lower class.
• Development of the analysis report.
• Preparation of a publication summarising the analysed issue.

The tasks leading to the production of the intellectual output:

Each of the participants of the consortium involved in this task will be responsible for collecting necessary information about the methodology of conducting the RSA in a given country. The leading institution (UC) will be responsible for gathering all materials, organising them, preparing a report and supervising the joint publication.

Applied methodology:

In the task, a case-based methodology will be applied that allows for focus on selected issues within the RSA in individual countries. This, in turn, allows for the assessment of the value of key elements used in this procedure and their comparison.