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IMPROVING MOTORCYCLISTS’ SAFETY BY IMPROVING CRASH BARRIERS
On the 19th April 2006 FEMA successfully organised a presentation, supported by Dutch MEP Mrs Wortmann - Kool MEP, in the European Parliament in Brussels to raise awareness on the need of motorcycle friendly road infrastructure.
I attended the evening event representing MAG UK anticipating that certain UK MEPs would be present or at least their assistants would have accepted the invites that were sent out.
Unfortunately they were noticeable by their absence, however there were plenty of other people to “collar” to stress the importance of the event, which demonstrated that the risk of fatal and serious injuries to motorcyclists can be easily and significantly reduced by covering the supporting posts of crash barriers, whilst maintaining the effectiveness of the crash barrier especially regarding other vehicles.
The catalyst for the presentation, was a culmination of the work carried out on the production of last years FEMA document, “The Road to Success” by the working group of MAG Netherlands, Wim Taal, NMCU Norways Morten Hansen and MAG UK which gave FEMA the impetus to organise the event.
The Road to Success effectively gave an overview of the projects that have been successfully carried out in a number of European countries, it also described the difficulties and obstacles that motorcyclists' organisations encounter and was a follow up to FEMAs 2000 'Final report of the motorcyclists and crash barriers project'.
Also at last years MEP Ride in Strasbourg, the event concentrated mainly on the Road to Success report and the presentation of examples of motorcycle friendly crash barriers in the flesh for MEPs to view.
MAG Netherlands specifically have successfully since then continued their drive for the continued fitting of motorcycle friendly crash barriers and the removal of wire rope barriers fitted in the Netherlands.
So it was no surprise that the event was supported by Mrs Wortmann - Kool from the Netherlands and both she and Mr. Queiro’ MEP from Portugal have:
- Tabled a written question to the European Commission urging the Commission to promote best practices for road construction
- The regular updating of CEN standards
- To come forward with an infrastructure package that takes into account the need of all road users including the more vulnerable ones such as motorcyclists
- To consider that a ban on cable barriers would contribute to road safety
- To give a mandate to the CEN (European Committee for Standardization) to establish a new European standard for crash barriers that includes motorcycles and mopeds users.
These are important steps for the fitting of motorcycle friendly crash barrier systems in the UK, giving road authorities a standard that they can work too without separate testing and the related costs that are a barrier (pun intended) to their installation where “normal” barriers present a danger to motorcyclists.
In the UK the Highways agency have already stated that any central reservations vehicle restraint systems (which would include Armco and wire rope systems) fitted on UK roads, that they maintain, that require to be replaced will be fitted with a concrete barrier system.
During the meeting in the European Parliament a video presentation of a full scale crash test performed by HIASA on a safety barrier fitted with motorcyclists’ protective devices was shown to demonstrate the effectiveness of such devices, not only in relation to motorcyclists but also regarding errant vehicles with 4 or more wheels.
The importance of taking into account the safety needs of motorcyclists and their vehicles in all road infrastructure was further underlined by a presentation of the ACEM handbook “Guidelines for Powered Two-Wheelers - Safer Road Design in Europe” which reflected and contained information from the UKs IHIE Guidelines to road engineers published in 2005.
Last year we (MAG UK) produced a supporting document in the UK to The Road To Success with an action pack to lobby the UKs Transport Minister, MPs and MEPs, this is still available on the MAG UK website www.mag-uk.orgWebsite in the “Riders Writes” section under “Crash Barriers”.
We asked then that the decisions by road authorities to install Vehicle Restraint Systems should take into consideration the safety of motorcyclists in order that:
- Existing steel beam barrier systems are fitted with "motorcycle-friendly" secondary rails.
- The Location of existing steel beam barrier systems where they offer a hazard to motorcyclists should be identified by road authorities.
- Existing wire rope barriers be removed and replaced by "motorcycle-friendly" Vehicle Restraint Systems or Safety Barriers.
- The placement of Vehicle Restraint Systems are not a greater danger than the obstacle they are intended to protect.
- That UK government official’s press for European legislators to make changes to EN1317 CEN Standards so that:
- All current Vehicle Restraint Systems meet the same standard of tests for motorcyclists for central reservation protection as applied to all other vehicles.
- Motorcycle-friendly secondary rails and all other forms of post protection devices are included in the standards of tests for other vehicles.
The aim of MAG UK is to improve the safety of Vehicle Restraint Systems thus reducing the potential for injury and death of motorcyclists when impacting these systems.
Lobby
To continue with the support in Europe on crash barriers you may wish to write in your own words to your MEP asking them to support Mrs Wortmann-Kool and Mr. Queiro’s written question to the European Commission.
You can locate your MEP at http://www.europarl.org.uk/uk_meps/MembersMain.htm
Any feedback please forward to myself Trevor Baird at MAG UK, PO BOX 750, Rugby, CV21 3ZR or email public-affairs@mag-uk.org
This will help for future contacts with MEPs during the upcoming MEP Ride and general lobbying in Europe by MAG.
FEMA reports are available on www.fema.ridersrights.org
HIASA http://www.hiasa.es
ACEM handbook is available on http://www.acembike.org
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