Trevor Sargent
Ceist:520 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the reason for the continuing delay in having the European Union standard of crash barriers EN 1317 implemented here. [26728/01]
Written Answers. - Road Safety.
The question of the application of the standard referred to pending its full adoption by the EU is the subject of correspondence with the European Union. Pending the outcome of this process, in July 2001 the NRA published a revised design standard for road safety barriers for its specification for road works document. The new design standard and specification implements the performance requirements of parts 1 and 2 of IS EN 1317 and will be used for all schemes for the construction and-or improvement of national roads.
The new design standard and specification have been prepared to facilitate transitional arrangements as permitted in accordance with EC guidance paper J, "Transitional Arrangements under the Construction Products Directive". These transitional arrangements permit products conforming to existing national systems to be used as well as those conforming to IS EN 1317 during the period of co-existence. While the new design standard applies to new works only, the question of retro fitting median barriers to existing motorway-dual carriageway roads is being examined.