In a first draft compromise for revising directive 2008/96/EC on road infrastructure safety management dated 13 September of which EUROPE has obtained a copy, the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union is seeking to provide the member states with a greater margin of manoeuvre but which the European Commission does not want to apply to highway management and assessments.
This draft compromise is part of a Commission proposal of 17 May last and is an integral part of the third mobility package (see EUROPE 12022). In this proposal, the Commission suggests making it compulsory for the member states to carry out road assessments, particularly those in the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), motorways and main roads in effort to reduce road accidents in the EU.
Although the Austrian draft compromise does not run counter to the underpinning reasons behind and key points in their proposal, it does, nonetheless, envisage a number of modifications.
The Austrian Presidency of the Council is therefore suggesting that certain roads are excluded from the text's scope, namely roads that are not open to general motor vehicle traffic and those specifically constructed for a specific kind of traffic (industrial or agricultural, for example). It has also been proposed that the member states designate the primary roads on its territory taking into account its existing road classification, therefore the main roads that should be subject to an assessment.
The Austrian Presidency of the Council is also of the opinion that the assessments of the road network should take into account “particular risks to vulnerable road users”.
On the question of road markings and road signs the Commission would like the member states to attempt to ensure that they are “properly designed and maintained" in view of ensuring adequate recognition and safety within the context of automated and assisted driving. The draft compromise requests that the Commission publishes a report three years after the entry into force of the new text on this issue before it plans on any other specific action.
According to this same document, the Commission should be able to establish, by way of implementing acts, a methodology relating to the reports on accident severity levels.
Finally, rather than a triennial report from the member states on road network assessments, the Austrian Presidency of the Council is suggesting that these reports are carried out every five years.
This draft compromise is normally expected to be rather well received by the experts at the Council “land transport” working party, with regard to leaving the member states a certain margin of manoeuvre. These experts will be working on the draft compromise during a meeting on Thursday 20 September. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)