Skip to main content

ERF and AVTODOR cement safety cooperation to cut casualty toll

One of the ERF’s principal tasks to is act as a platform for sharing best practice between countries in the field of road safety. While this activity has traditionally been handled at the European Union level, the current gloomy economic environment within Europe has forced the ERF to rethink its mandate and make the promotion of expertise a priority It is in this context that the ERF, in cooperation with the state company Russian Highways - AVTODOR - joined forces to organise a landmark event in the fie
January 9, 2015 Read time: 3 mins
One of the ERF’s principal tasks to is act as a platform for sharing best practice between countries in the field of road safety. While this activity has traditionally been handled at the 1116 European Union level, the current gloomy economic environment within Europe has forced the ERF to rethink its mandate and make the promotion of expertise a priority

It is in this context that the 7575 ERF, in cooperation with the state company Russian Highways - 3974 AVTODOR - joined forces to organise a landmark event in the field of road infrastructure. Organised within the context of the Doroga Expo 2014, the event gathered around 125 experts and represented a milestone for both organisations in terms of sharing knowledge, expertise and good practice within Russia and Europe. The ERF delegation was headed by Vice-President Jean-Claude Roffé (Colas) and Director General Christophe Nicodème. Together with AVTODOR Chairman Sergey Kelbakh and First Deputy Innokenty Alafinov, they took part in the discussions.

The seminar was divided into sessions that addressed the main achievements and challenges for both organisations. The first introductory panel focused on the financial and legal framework in Russia and the EU. The example of the new EU Directive on Public Procurement - to be implemented in two years - could present interesting opportunities for the European road sector.

The directive could foster the development of higher-quality, better-performing as well as more resilient and durable techniques and products for the EU marketplace that could also benefit the Russian road network. AVTODOR, too, is looking ahead with the launch of an ambitious public-private partnership programme and is seeking EU investors to consolidate its main road network.
In the second part of the seminar, discussions focused on road safety plans and standards for road elements, such restraint systems, road markings and traffic signs. In the EU, the Directive 2008/96 has proved successful for curbing road fatalities in recent years by combining audits, inspections and road safety assessments. Their implementation and adaptation by AVTODOR could also benefit the Russian road network.

There was a particularly lively debate regarding road restraint systems and the development of EN and GOST standards for roadside safety. Discussions addressed standardisation, correct implementation, performance assessment and validation by independent notification bodies.  

The seminar continued with a double presentation of road safety practices designed to reduce accidents in work zones. The ERF presented a summary of its coming paper “Towards Safer Work Zones in Europe”, which lays out a series of recommendations on minimum safety and technical performance indicators for elements used in work zones. AVTODOR has already developed a standard for work zones, which has been used on its motorway network for the past several years.

AVTODOR Managing Director Nikolay Bystrow highlighted, in his presentation, increased cooperation between his organisation and the ERF. This was later cemented with the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation on Road Safety by AVTODOR Chairman Kelbakh and ERF Director General Nicodème.

The cooperation agreement will facilitate the exchange of best practice and technical expertise that will boost road safety in the EU and Russia and will go a long way to achieving targets set by the EU Road Safety Action Programmes and the UN 3439 Decade of Action for Road Safety.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • ERIC 2016: What shape the ‘Smart Road’?
    February 7, 2017
    Optimism about the future of highways worldwide abounded at the inaugural European Road Infrastructure Conference (ERIC) in Leeds, UK. Around 500 delegates passed through the varied sessions during the three-day event at the Royal Armouries Museum in the northern English city of Leeds. They came away with many visions of what a motorway and road could look like. But what speakers at the event - co-organised by the Brussels-based European Union Road Federation (ERF) and the UK’s Road Safety Markings Associat
  • Programme planned for Paris pavement preservation summit
    February 12, 2014
    Plans are now in hand for the AEMA-ARRA-ISSA-PPRA-IBEF-FP2 Pavement Preservation World Summit. This will be held from February 22nd – 25th 2015 at the Palais des Congrès Convention Center in the French capital, Paris. The website for the event is also in place: pprsparis2015.com and gives details of the programme. According to the organisers, the PPRS Paris 2015 event will provide a discussion focus for shared projects and ambitions. It follows the PPRA’s decision to organise an annual meeting in Paris in 2
  • ERIC2016 the driver to European prosperity
    June 22, 2016
    From 18-20 October 2016, the European Union Road Federation (ERF), in partnership with the Road Safety markings Association (RSMA) will present the 1st European Road Infrastructure Congress (ERIC2016) in the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds. Spanning three days, ERIC will bring together policymakers, road authorities, academics, research laboratories and industry representatives from across Europe and other countries to exchange good practices and present new research findings. The focus is on how to imp
  • Europe's mobility future
    February 28, 2012
    Mobility for Prosperity in Europe (MPE) recently ran a Dinner Debate in the European Parliament to discuss the White Paper on Transport policy with a view to 2050.