It is almost two tears since the DOT published their mandatory requirements for safety audit on motorways and trunk roads in HD 19/90 and HA 42/90 (see IRRD Nos. 838856 and 838857). Many local highway authorities are following suit by issuing requirements for audit of new roads and improvements. This paper evaluates the impact which Safety Audit has had on the design practices of highway authorities and consultancies, and looks at the benefits to be achieved `on the ground'. The paper will analyse current good Safety Audit practices and examines some of the tools currently available to Auditors and Engineers. The practices of a selection of highway authorities are reviewed with illustrations to show the areas where attention needs to be focussed. The paper investigates the level implications for highway authorities who have instigated Audit procedures and those who haven't and assesses the potential for Safety Audit to support Quality Assurance procedures and to be used as an assessment of quality of practice by design organisations. The contribution which Safety Audit makes to local government service provision and the scope for better delivery of product is also considered together with the call for a greater sharing of knowledge and the need for uniformity in Audit practices. The paper concludes with a discussion about the consequences of non-audited schemes and examples of international practice in this field, as well as an exhibition of current aids to be used in the Audit procedure. The paper will be supported by a visual presentation of the issues raised throughout. (A) For the covering abstract see IRRD 862636.
Abstract