Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 20 Nov 2003

Vol. 575 No. 1

Written Answers. - Road Safety.

Mary Upton

Question:

10 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Transport the standard of crash barriers used by the NRA and specifically the standard of those procured in the past three years for the N11; and if these comply with EU law in this regard. [27816/03]

Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan)

As I indicated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 27906/03 about EU Commission infringement proceedings relating to the procurement of safety barriers, the position on safety barrier standards is that the NRA's current road design standards provide for high containment safety barriers in central medians up to 7.5m in width; normal containment safety barriers in central medians greater than 7.5m wide but not exceeding 15m in width; and where the median width is greater than 15m no safety barrier is required as the median itself provides the safety mechanism. In addition, all road improvement contracts are tendered exclusively, since January 2002, on the basis of the EU standard, EN 1317, for safety barriers.

With regard to the N11, I understand from the NRA that road construction contracts awarded for the Arklow bypass, Wyatville interchange, the Glen of the Downs and Ashford-Rathnew scheme were awarded prior to January 2002 and had safety barrier provisions based on the previous NRA standard. However, a contract variation was ordered, earlier this year, on the Glen of the Downs and the Ashford-Rathnew scheme for the installation of a median barrier complying with EN 1317. Approximately 2.3 km of normal containment barrier and 4 km of high containment barrier have been installed along the median on the Glen of the Downs project. Safety barriers on the Rathnew-Ashford bypass and on all future road improvement schemes on the N11 and elsewhere will be provided in accordance with the current NRA standard and will comply with the European standard EN 1317.

The application of EN1317 does not call into question the adequacy of barriers procured and installed under the arrangements in place prior to January 2002. The barriers concerned comply with best international practice and provide the same level of safety as barriers supplied and installed in response to tenders based on exclusive use of the EN1317 standard.

Question No. 11 answered with Question No. 7.