In Provincial and Regional Traffic and Transport Plans (PTTPs and RTTPs), the road safety policy of provinces and Framework Act areas (among other matters) is established. This study examines which factors ensure a decisive road safety policy. With decisive policy is meant that it is effective and efficient, as well as ambitious. The PTTPs and RTTPs of four provinces and two Framework Act areas were examined. These were (the provinces) of Friesland, Flevoland, Noord-Holland, and Limburg, and the Framework Act areas of the Arnhem-Nijmegen Intersection and Twente. First of all, a study was made of those plans in which an effective, efficient, and ambitious road safety policy was presented. The PTTPs and RTTPs were compared with each other, as well as with the NTTP targets for deaths and injured as was laid down by the Cabinet in May 2001. As far as the decisiveness of their policies was concerned; Flevoland, the Arnhem-Nijmegen Intersection, and Twente seemed to score better than Friesland, Limburg, and Noord-Holland. Based on previous comparable research in the report Road Safety Decision making in the Dutch National Traffic and Transport Plan, the current study derived those conditions that seem to influence the decisiveness of the policy. A total of 27 conditions were formulated. Next, the extent to which these conditions were present in the decision-making for these six plans was examined. In this way it was examined which of these conditions best predicts the extent of the decisiveness of the six plans. Four factors appear to be important for achieving a decisive road safety policy. These are 1) participation in the decision-making by many involved parties, 2) early negotiation with opponents of road safety measures, 3) active involvement in the decision-making of support for road safety interests, such as the Provincial Road Safety Board, and 4) delegation to an outsider of the organisation of the decision-making.
Abstract