Brussels, 04 December 2009

On 2nd December 2009, the ERF, invited by the European Commission, took part to a panel of discussion during the Road Safety Action Programme Conference, which officially closed the public consultation on the next European Road Safety Action Programme 2011 – 2020.

Swedish State Secretary Mr Zetterberg opened the conference, followed by Mrs. Silvia-Adriana Ţicău (Vice-Chairman, Transport and Tourism) and the Vice-President Tajani. Then Mr. Grillo Pasquarelli (Inland Transport DG TREN) presented the results achieved so far by the 1st Road Safety Action Programme and Isabelle Kardacz (Head of Road Safety Unit, DG TREN) gave a brief summary of the first results of the consultation. Both underlined the importance of considering not only fatalities, but the major impact of severe injuries to the community, insisting on the necessary improvement of Road Safety on rural roads and the protection of vulnerable road users.

In the first session dedicated to Safety of Vehicles and Infrastructure, a group of panellists representing these two pillars could share their experience on Road Safety and indicate their main priorities for Road Safety in the next decade.

ERF was represented by its Vice-President Rik Nuyttens, who pointed out the crucial role of infrastructure in ensuring enhanced safety and optimal mobility for al road users.

Rik Nuyttens underlined the need to analyse Road Safety on the basis of sound and accurate statistics, to improve performance levels in road infrastructure, as well as the importance of assessing the relation between performance and its impact on Road Safety, by intensifying the research and the dissemination of best practices. He pleaded for the support of the EC to extend these objectives to the whole road network.

He stressed the necessity to support specific Safety Action Programmes in line with the different requirements and priorities of the MS, by identifying the major accomplishments and short comings, defining appropriate programmes, monitoring their impact on Road Safety and adapting them according to the achieved results, to get the best possible contribution of each MS to the global European Road Safety objectives.

The ERF hopes that its suggestions will be taken on board and looks forward to a fruitful collaboration with the European Commission and other stakeholders in defining the next European Road Safety Action Programme.