MANHOLE COVERS AND SERVICE ACCESS COVERS by Richard Stiling
Background
MAG adopted a national campaign in 2002 to address the problems that manhole covers and service access covers present to two-wheel vehicle
use in view of the following facts:
1. Unsurfaced manhole covers and service access covers used in the highway are an unacceptable hazard to two-wheel vehicle users. The sudden change from a
tarmac to metal surface can cause instability and loss of control with dire consequences. This is exacerbated in wet conditions. Frightening experiences are commonplace.
2. Highway architecture is an important consideration in traffic safety.
3. Manhole covers and service access covers are governed by British Standard BS7903. This standard has no frictional
component whatsoever.
4. There has been no research on the effects that these covers have on two-wheel vehicular use. National 'accident' statistics do not include notification of service
cover relevance.
5. STATS19 is the 'accident' report form the Police fill out in instances of personal injury in a traffic incident. It is worded to exclude the recording of whether a
service cover was significant to the incident."
Information
Any worn, cracked, or displaced covers should be reported to your local highway authority who must mix it.
Raised covers when in road surfacing works and therefore in a temporary road conditions have to be negotiated carefully. There will be warning signs.
Detail:
"Police incident reports (STATS 19) exclude reporting of the significance of MH covers.
Courts rule that because the covers are employed in accordance to BS EN 124:1994 they constitute a
valid road surface and therefore any loss of control is due to 'inappropriate speed for the conditions'. The lack of a frictional component to BS EN 124:1994 is not considered.",
Latest News:
I have been in contact with the Secretary of the B/505 Wastewater Engineering Committee that draws up BS EN 124:1994 (the dreaded BS standard for manhole covers). Who
has replied thus;
"I have been in touch with the Chairman of our appropriate technical committee who is very interested in the evidence you have of "considerable danger" in
connection with MH covers with respect to motorbikes. There is a difficulty in obtaining good evidence of such problems, so anything you have would be of interest.
Vehicular skid and pedestrian
slip issues are in the process of being addressed by the European technical committee, as an "essential requirement" of the revised harmonised EN124, and therefore any sound information you are
able to share with the UK mirror committee would be of interest in our deliberations."
Development of Campaign
A website dedicated to the campaign is planned for the near future.
An avenue which may be useful would be to commission a study by the TrL to give quantitative, robust evidence to the dangers
posed
Developing a research brief. Any such document would clearly show that the current BS standard is woefully inadequate to provide a safe environment and therefore needs to be considered as a
safety issue.
To built up an overall picture of problems faced PLEASE SEND YOUR ANECDOTES WITH AS MUCH DETAIL AS POSSIBLE (INCLUDE YOUR REAL NAME)
