David Anderson
Head of Planning and Design - Transport Scotland
10 October 2013
A9 Dualling Perth to Inverness
A9 Dualling: Many Challenges
As we move forward we will be working collaboratively with key agencies,
authorities and local communities to deal with the challenges
Engineering
Local Communities
Traffic and Road
Business & Tourism
Environmental
 economic growth
 improved access to
tourist and
recreation sites
including the
Cairngorms National
Park
 improved business
connectivity
Cairngorms
National Park
Sites of Special
Scientific Interest
(SSSI)
Ramsar and
Special areas of
conservation (SAC)
Nation Scenic
Areas (NSA)
Safety
rock cuttings
new bridges and
major bridge
widening
public utilities
proximity of the
Highland Mainline
Railway
improving
accessibility
providing facilities
for pedestrians,
cyclists and
equestrians
improving links to
public transport
facilities
minimising impacts
of construction
 addressing
accident clusters
 improving lay-by
provision
 minimising
impacts of
construction
Three Sections
many projects
ID
Tas
k Nam e
Section
1
Preliminary Route Assessment Work
2
3
Name
Preliminary
Work
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 2037 2038 2039 2040
Assessment
5
6
7
Stakeholder Engagement
Stakeholder
Engagement
Luncarty to Pass of Birnam
Luncarty
Birnam
to
Pass
of
8
9
10
11
12
Pass of Birnam to Ballinluig
Pass
of
Ballinluig
Birnam
to
13
14
15
16
Pitlochry to Killiecrankie
Pitlochry to Killiecrankie
17
18
19
20
21
Killiecrankie to Glen Garry
Killiecrankie to Glen Garry
22
23
24
25
26
Glen Garry to Crubenmore
Glen Garry to Crubenmore
27
28
29
30
31
Crubenmore to Kincraig
Crubenmore to Kincraig
32
33
34
35
36
Kincraig to Dalraddy
Kincraig to Dalraddy
37
38
39
40
41
Dalraddy to Slochd
Dalraddy to Slochd
42
43
44
45
46
Engineering and
Engineering
andSurveys
Surveys
Environmental
Environmental
4
Tom atin to Moy
Tomatin to Moy
47
48
49
Design and Assessment
Statutory Process
Procurement
Construction
George Henry
Road Safety Manager – Transport Scotland
Scotland’s Road Safety Performance
•
Between 2001 and 2011 the number of people being killed has dropped by 47% &
people being seriously injured by 45%
•
Road accidents in Scotland are at an all time low
•
2,061 people were killed or seriously injured on Scotland’s roads in 2011, 399 of
these casualties were as a result of accidents on the trunk road network
•
While most accidents stem from driver behaviour, safer road design can make a
significant contribution to reducing the rate of accidents
•
Optimum casualty reduction can best be achieved through working in partnership
with those involved in education and enforcement
•
Scottish Ministers have published challenging casualty reductions for 2020 that
are specific to Scotland
Scotland’s Road Safety Performance
A9 Trunk Road
•
The A9 Trunk Road is the main route that
connects central Scotland and the
Highlands
•
It stretches from Dunblane, situated north
of Stirling, and travels north bypassing
Perth and Inverness before finishing in
Thurso
•
The route is made up of single and dual
carriageways with varying speed limits
•
It carries a broad mix of road users
comprising local drivers, commuters,
freight transport and tourist traffic
What Road Users Say
Poor
Maintenance
Speed
Limits are
wrong
Frustration
Crazy
Overtakes
Elephant
Racing
Platoons
Confusing
Layout of
Road Types
Speeding
Poor
Lining
Killer Road
Slow
Moving
Traffic
Inconsistent
Signing
Poor
Driver
Behaviour
Too many
Road
Works
Potholes
Overgrown
Verges
Not
Enough
Laybys
Congestion
Lack of
Service
Stations
Hidden
cameras
Why the A9 Safety Group?
Why the A9 Safety Group?
A9 Trunk Road Accidents By Severity &
Year
Year
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Total
Fatal
10
6
11
11
5
43
Accidents
Serious
Slight
25
108
41
130
25
107
18
83
23
86
132
514
Total
143
177
143
112
114
689
A9 Trunk Road Casualties By Severity &
Year
Year
Killed
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Total
15
7
15
13
8
58
Casualties
Seriously Slightly
Injured Injured
34
238
55
276
38
266
36
196
33
211
196
1187
Total
287
338
319
245
252
1441
• The Minister for Transport
and Veterans asked for a
multi agency group to be
set up to reduce casualties
ahead of dualling
• 63 people have lost their
life since 2008
• Higher proportion of
people being Killed and
Seriously injured
What have we been asked to do?
“The A9 Safety Group is tasked to work together before and during
the A9 dualling programme to explore any measures which could
be introduced on the route to positively influence driver behaviour
in a way that helps reduce road casualties”
Who are the Safety Group
•
The A9 Safety Group was set up by Transport Scotland in July 2012
•
The multi-agency group is made up of representatives from
First Stage – Evidence Gathering
• Trunk Road Operating Companies on behalf of the A9SG carried
out an evidence base review
• The review included analysis of accidents, vehicle speeds, traffic
flows and existing speed enforcement statistics.
• The route was split into three sections of similar character
• Dunblane to Perth
• Perth to North of Inverness (Tore Roundabout)
• North of Inverness to Thurso
Dunblane to Perth
•
High severity of accidents at junctions
• 53% of right turn accidents are KSI’s
(Killed or seriously Injured) compared to a
north east unit average of 29%
•
Higher number of accidents involving
HGV’s above 7.5 tonnes
• 17% involve HGV’s compared to a north
east unit average of 9%
•
High number of single vehicle accidents
striking roadside objects
•
Loss of control, failing to look properly,
failing to judge other persons speed,
careless/reckless, travelling too fast for the
conditions and poor turning practices are
the most common recorded contributory
factors
Perth to Tore
•
77% of all KSI accidents occurred on single
carriageways
•
Single carriageway KSI ratio (0.32) is above
the trunk road national average (0.24)
•
HGV’s above 7.5 Tonnes are nearly 3 times
more likely to be involved in an injury
accident on single carriageways than they
are on other Scottish trunk road single
carriageways
•
Goods vehicles under 7.5 tonnes are
involved in 13.6% of accidents on single
carriageway sections compared to a north
west unit average of 7%
•
Loss of control, failing to look properly, failing
to judge other persons speed,
careless/reckless in a hurry and travelling too
fast for conditions are common recorded
contributory factors
Tore to Thurso
•
High severity of accidents at junctions
• 43% of accidents occurred at a junction
compared to a north west unit average of 26%
•
Turning right manoeuvres is the most
common vehicle manoeuvres in
accidents
• 13.5% compared to a north west unit average
of 6.1%
•
Failing to look properly, loss of
control, failing to judge other persons
speed, careless/reckless and poor
turning practices are the most
common recorded contributory factors
A9 Speed Issues
•
Vehicle speed data has been collected from 26
traffic counters spread across the A9 between
Dunblane and Inverness
•
A review of the existing approach to speed
enforcement on the A9 has been undertaken.
•
It indicates that approximately 37% of cars were
identified as exceeding the posted speed on single
carriageway sections of the route between Perth
and Inverness.
•
Around 95% of HGV’s are travelling above their
speed limit on single carriageway sections
•
On the single carriageway at Dalwhinnie 300 cars a
day are travelling above 10 mph greater than the
speed limit and at Kincraig 700 cars are doing the
same
•
Between Dunblane and Perth there is around 200
vehicles a day travelling close to 100 mph
Risk Linked to Speed
•
The European Transport Safety
Council reported how the
reduction in risk is linked to a
reduction in speed, a sound rule
of thumb is that on average a
1% reduction in the mean speed
of traffic leads to
•
a 2% reduction in injury
accidents
•
A 3% reduction in severe
accidents and
•
A 4% reduction in fatal
accidents
Risk of fatal injury related to impact velocity
(Claes Tingvall, Swedish Road Administration)
What we found?
•
The road safety performance of the A9 is complex
•
Variety of carriageway & junction types
•
Changing traffic volumes and conditions by time of day and year vary the problems
•
There are a wide range of contributory factors in the recorded accidents
•
Driver behaviour common throughout contributory factors
•
To achieve our aim to positively influence driver behaviour in a way that helps reduce
road casualties
•
There cannot be one solution to address the problems and achieve maximum casualty
reduction ahead of dualling
•
We need to promote a package of measures as part of an interim safety plan to
address identified issues across maintenance, engineering, education and enforcement
Engineering
•
Since 2007 over £137 million has been invested on
•
Surfacing
•
Signing
•
Lining
•
Landscaping
•
Lighting
•
Safety Barrier
•
Junction Improvements
•
Minor Improvements
•
Over £50 million of improvements already invested on
overtaking opportunities
•
Since the formation of the A9SG we have implemented
engineering measures including
•
Lining & Road Stud Works
•
Barrier Works
•
The replacement of 60 mph speed limit repeater
signs (96) with two way traffic signs
•
Extend journey time information system between
Dunblane and Inverness
•
Efficiencies sought around roadworks
Education
•
Analysis of collision history to inform
messages
•
Contribution from Road Safety Scotland and
partners to develop campaign strategies
•
Set up a brand and strapline to promote
future initiatives
•
Creation of a dedicated website to be a
platform for communication
•
Set up a communications strategy to
promote safety campaigns
•
Work has begun on the first A9 Safety
Group campaign on overtaking
Enforcement
•
Speed Enforcement by Northern, Tayside and Central Safety
Camera Partnerships (SCPs)
•
SCP enforcement through 5 Fixed Safety Cameras
•
Dunblane to Perth (3)
•
Perth to Inverness (2)
•
And widespread mobile enforcement (109 sites) across the
entire route
•
SCP’s reported that the level of detected offences remain a
concern
•
Between 1 July and 30 September 2013 over 4000 traffic
offences were reported and 3869 were related to speeding
•
Police Scotland Trunk Roads Patrol Group was formed to raise
visibility with the public across the trunk road network which
includes the A9
•
Aim to positively influence driver behaviour and enforce
legislation with a view to reducing casualties
Interim Safety Plan
• Engineering Initiatives
•
•
Projected spend of £18.5 million on
maintenance works that covers
•
Surfacing
•
Signing
•
Lining
•
Landscaping
•
Lighting*
•
Safety Barrier
•
Bridges
•
Minor Improvements
•
Targeted Road Safety Schemes
*Passively safe lighting columns at
Auchterarder
•
A9 Safety Group are also looking into
•
Existing forward and
junction visibility splays to
be checked to optimise
safety through vegetation
and landscaping works
•
Signing and Lining to be
assessed over entire length
•
Explore further locations for
VMS
•
Continue on-going accident
analysis to establish trends
and issues
Interim Safety Plan
• Education Initiatives
•
Before and after A9 user surveys
•
Carry out further research on driver frustration
•
Public information events to be held in later this year
•
First road safety campaign on overtaking
•
Education around National Speed Limits and Driver
Behaviour
Interim Safety Plan
• Enforcement Initiatives
•High visibility patrolling
•Greater use of motorcycles and unmarked vehicles
•Focused campaigns on speeding, dangerous driving, careless driving
and other risk behaviours
•Targeted initiatives dealing with events on or around the route
•Continued use of Safety Cameras
•Review of existing deployment sites to consider use at additional
locations
•Install average speed cameras
HGV Speed & Average Speed Cameras
•
Transport Research Laboratory with SIAS Consultancy carried out research into the potential impacts of
increasing the HGV speed limit on single carriageway sections of the A9 along with the deployment of an
average speed camera system
•
Following a members debate in Parliament (February 2013) the Minister for Transport and Veterans
asked the A9 Safety Group to consider HGV Speed Limit and Average Speed Cameras
•
The research indicated that the introduction of effective speed enforcement alone would result in a
decrease in accidents.
•
The research indicates Average Speed Cameras (ASCs) will improve safety, regardless of whether the
HGV above 7.5 Tonnes speed limit is retained at 40 mph (or increased to 50 mph)
•
However, it indicates that the operation of cameras at 40 mph is the safest option and the group agreed
Average Speed Cameras will improve safety on the A9
ASCS
Enforcement
HGV>7.5T at 40 mph
Fatal
Without ASCS
Enforcement
With ASCS
Enforcement
Slight
No change
-36%
Average
Speed all vehs
With ASCS
Enforcement
Serious
HGV>7.5T at 50 mph
- 6 mph
-25%
Journey
Times
+ 8%
Fatal
Serious
+5%
-11%
Desire to
Overtake
- 7%
-27%
Slight
+3-4%
-18%
Average
Speed –
all vehs
Journey
Times
- 3 mph
+ 1%
-8%
Desire to
Overtake
- 13%
Average Speed Cameras Safety
Performance
International Research into Average
Speed Cameras
•
Austroad – Collaborative group of transport authorities in Australia
and New Zealand responsible for providing technical input and
promoting improved transport outcomes in both countries
•
Extensive international research (UK, Europe, Australia and New
Zealand) undertaken on Average Speed Cameras and published in
2012, covering:
•
Literature Review
•
Consultation with Roads Authorities
•
Review of available ASC before and after data
Outcomes
•
Consistency of positive findings across review (large number of
countries), including:
•
High levels of speed compliance
•
Particularly effective in reducing higher severity accidents
•
Best Practise recommendations established – consistent with
design of A9 Average Speed Cameras
Average Speed Cameras
•
Transport Minister announced that average speed cameras were to be
installed following advice from the A9SG
•
The A9 system will be the second in Scotland, the first was installed on
the A77 in Ayrshire between Bogend Toll and Ardwell Bay in 2005.
•
In the first 3 years of operation it delivered a 46 per cent reduction in the
number of people being killed and 35 per cent reduction in seriously
injured
•
The system will operate on sections of the road between Keir Roundabout
(Dunblane) and Raigmore Interchange (Inverness). This is approximately
136 miles (220 km’s)
•
It is expected that the cost of the system will be in the region of £2.5
million. Transport Scotland as the Trunk Road Authority will pay for this
initiative
•
The nature of the A9 in terms of its length, forward visibility/geometry,
vehicle speeds and accident record (high proportion of KSI accidents
which by nature are often a function of speed, and wide distribution of
accidents across the route) indicate that an ASCS could positively
influence road safety on this route
•
Therefore the scheme should pay for itself through accident savings within
the first year of its operation.
Interim Safety Plan
HGV 50 mph Pilot Considerations
•
The A9 Safety Group considered the benefits and dis-benefits of the proposal for a 50 mph
HGV pilot with Average Speed Cameras
Platooning
Speeding
Overtaking
Journey
Time
Reliability
Journey
Times
Emissions
Safety
Existing
Camera
Enforcement
Economic
Benefits
•
The A9 Safety Group subsequently agreed that after reviewing the available evidence and
research that Average Speed Cameras will have a positive impact on driver behaviour and
safety on the A9
•
The modelling showed retaining the 40 mph HGV speed limit to be the safest option.
•
The Group has not dismissed raising HGV speed limits to 50 mph and is undertaking further
work to better understand the suitability of a pilot speed limit increase.
QUESTIONS?
For further information on the work of the group log onto
www.a9road.info