Road Safety Audit
The council recognises that it is important to consider road safety at the design stages of new schemes as opposed to having to address safety problems at a later date. This is reinforced by the statutory duties placed on local roads authorities to consider safety when building new road schemes or making alterations to existing roads.
Why the Road Safety Audit?
The road safety audit process is designed to address this need to consider safety at the appropriate design stages.
The concept has been around for over twenty years and West Lothian Council has been carrying out road safety audits since 1996.
What is Road Safety Audit?
Road safety audits aim to identify potential road safety hazards arising from planned changes to the road layout. In carrying out road safety audits, the audit team should consider road safety issues for all road users and will ask two key questions of the scheme:
- Who could be hurt in a collision on this part of the road and how could that happen? and;
- What can be done to reduce the potential for that collision or to limit its consequences?
West Lothian Council Road Safety Audit Procedures
In April 2009, we published our road safety audit procedures which apply to all schemes which will permanently change the road layout of West Lothian Roads. These procedures were developed using guidance produced by the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation.
The procedures do not apply to changes to trunk roads or motorways.
The full Road Asset Safety Inspection Manual [486KB] are available to be viewed here.
Who needs to know about the procedures?
The procedures apply to anyone involved in planning or implementing permanent changes to the layout of roads in West Lothian. The procedures are of relevance to developers and their consultants, council services and independent road safety auditors.
Who can carry out Road Safety Audits?
Road safety auditors need to be trained specialists and must be independent of the design team and therefore should not be influenced by design constraints. The procedures set out the training and experience requirements for road safety auditors working on schemes in West Lothian.
The council has a team of experienced road safety auditors who can carry out audits to the standards required by the procedures.
Further information
For more information or advice on road safety audit, please contact the Road Safety and Traffic Management team within the Roads and Transportation Service.
