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Where changes to the local highway network are either proposed or already made, a Road Safety Audit is often an excellent way of identifying or addressing possible problems, risks or concerns.

 

If a new scheme is proposed it is also usual that the preliminary designs are subject to a Stage 1 Road Safety Audit. This document can be separate or accompany a Transport Statement and provides an independent assessment of the key design and operating arrangements of the highway works and proposed amendments.

 

A Road Safety Audit will identify any potential road safety issues or problems that may affect all users of the highway and to recommend measures to eliminate or mitigate these problems.  A Road Safety Audit is not simply a check that a scheme meets design standards and is a way of ensuring that the design and implementation has been independently checked and audited.

 

Formal guidance on Road Safety Audits is contained within HD19/03 of the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges Volume 5 Section 2.  The guidance for such Road Safety Audits has however recently been revised under HD19/15 and all audits are carried out to this standard by EC Road Safety.   Road Safety Audits are undertaken at various stages of the highway improvement scheme and comprise:-

 

Stage 1 – Completion of preliminary design and feasibility study plans

Stage 2 – Completion of detailed design (planned works)

Stage 3 – Completion of construction (on the ground)

Stage 4 – Monitoring (12 months and 36 months)

 

A stage 1 and 2 Road Safety Audit are quite often combined to highlight any issues that need to be considered before the scheme is taken forward. Road Safety Audits can be requested for:

 

• Major and minor highway improvements

• Proposed residential developments and new estate roads

• Traffic management and local safety schemes

• Pedestrian and cycling schemes

• New and amended junctions

• Motorway improvements

• Parking schemes – where changes will have an impact on the road layout

 

Road Safety Audits are undertaken by an Audit Team, which must be independent to the Design Team. EC Road Safety operates independently to any designers and will look without and ‘designer bias’ to help identify possible problems, amendments that could be made (if accepted) and check that the design has taken certain factors into consideration. The Audit Team comprises of a minimum of two persons with appropriate levels of training, skills and experience in Road Safety Engineering and/or Collision Investigation. The members of the Audit Team may be drawn from within the Design Organisation or from another body depending on the size and nature of the scheme.