Head of Planning and Design - Transport Scotland 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 rock cuttings new bridges and major bridge widening public utilities proximity of the Highland Mainline Railway Local Communities improving accessibility providing facilities for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians improving links to public transport facilities minimising impacts of construction Traffic and Road Safety addressing accident clusters improving lay-by provision minimising impacts of construction Business & Tourism economic growth improved access to tourist and recreation sites including the Cairngorms National Park improved business connectivity Environmental Cairngorms National Park Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) Ramsar and Special areas of conservation (SAC) Nation Scenic Areas (NSA)

Three Sections many projects

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

Confusing Layout of Road Types Lack of Service Stations What Road Users Say Frustration Crazy Overtakes Elephant Racing Poor Maintenance Speed Limits are wrong Platoons Hidden cameras Confusing Layout of Road Types Speeding Poor Lining Too many Road Works Killer Road Slow Moving Traffic Inconsistent Signing Poor Driver Behaviour Congestion Lack of Service Stations Potholes Overgrown Verges Not Enough Laybys

Why the A9 Safety Group?

Why the A9 Safety Group? A9 Trunk Road Accidents By Severity & Year Year Accidents   Fatal Serious Slight Total 2008 10 25 108 143 2009 6 41 130 177 2010 11 107 2011 18 83 112 2012 5 23 86 114 43 132 514 689 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 A9 Trunk Road Casualties By Severity & Year Year Casualties   Killed Seriously Injured Slightly Injured Total 2008 15 34 238 287 2009 7 55 276 338 2010 38 266 319 2011 13 36 196 245 2012 8 33 211 252 58 1187 1441

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 of fatal injury related to impact velocity 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 HGV>7.5T at 50 mph Fatal Serious Slight Without ASCS Enforcement No change +5% +3-4% With ASCS Enforcement -36% -25% -11% -27% -18% -8% Average Speed - all vehs Journey Times Desire to Overtake Average Speed – all vehs - 6 mph + 8% - 7% - 3 mph + 1% - 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 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. Platooning Speeding Journey Time Reliability Safety Existing Camera Enforcement Overtaking Journey Times Emissions Economic Benefits

QUESTIONS? For further information on the work of the group log onto www.a9road.info