Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 7 Oct 2003

Vol. 571 No. 4

Written Answers. - Road Safety.

John Dennehy

Ceist:

438 Mr. Dennehy asked the Minister for Transport if he will require all motorways constructed in the country to have a suitable crash barrier along the central divide to limit the impact of accidents as far as possible, and if he will pursue a programme to implement necessary upgrades in this regard along the State's existing motorway network. [22360/03]

Fergus O'Dowd

Ceist:

451 Mr. O'Dowd asked the Minister for Transport if sufficient funding will be made available to enable the National Roads Authority to erect crash barriers across the central reservation of the motorways in County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22268/03]

Arthur Morgan

Ceist:

459 Mr. Morgan asked the Minister for Transport his views on whether the proposal by the NRA to provide steel rope as a barrier in centre reservations on motorways and dual carriageways is acceptable, particularly when such rope is below EU standard to restrain vehicles in excess on five tonnes. [22372/03]

Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan)

I propose to answer Question Nos. 438, 451 and 459 together.

It is a matter for the National Roads Authority to ensure that motorways and dual carriageways are equipped with appropriate containment barriers in accordance with the NRA's design manual for roads and bridges. Funding is available to the NRA as part of its annual block grant for the improvement of national roads –€1.209 billion in 2003 – to meet the cost of such barriers.

I am aware that the NRA, as a matter of practice, keeps road design standards, including safety aspects, under regular review. The position in relation to the provision of median safety barriers on motorways is that the NRA, in July 2001, amended its design to provide for median safety barriers on all new motorways with a central reservation of less than 15 m and has commenced a programme of retrofitting median safety barriers to existing motorways with a central reservation of less than 15 m.

In relation to the M1, I understand from the NRA that a contract for the provision of median barriers on the Dunleer-Dundalk motorway is currently being tendered.

Up to July 2001 the design standards for motorways in Ireland provided for the provision of safety barriers on motorways and duel carriageways where the central reserves were less than 9 m. This was in line with accepted international practice.

Following a review the NRA decided, as outlined above, to provide safety barriers on all motorways/dual carriageways with a central reservation of less than 15 m.

It should be noted that the provision of purpose-designed crash barriers on motorway central reservations is not without risk and unfortunately cannot guarantee that fatalities will be avoided in the future. Occupants of vehicles out of control may sustain injury or death on impact with a barrier depending on the angle and speed of impact. There is also a risk of the vehicle concerned being projected back onto the carriageway from which it has come with potential serious consequences for the occupants and other road users. The provision of wire fences in the central reservation of motorways and dual carriageways is intended to support plants and hedging as an anti-dazzle measure. The wire concerned has no crash barrier function or capability.