That's quite a score isn't it? Now convert these numbers into years and you have the life expectancy of Britain's biggest players in safety barriers. Yes, steel barriers need replacing after just 12 years whereas concrete step barriers last 40 years. Although the Government has now chosen to swap steel for concrete, the upgrading work of this every-day life saver is being criticised for being far too slow.
Each year scores of motorists are dying due to the Government's lead-footed approach to replacing steel with new concrete barrier systems. Month after month we are seeing newspaper articles reporting on yet another death in which a happy family has been tragically torn apart. All too often it is a death which could have been avoided if only a high containment concrete barrier had been installed at an earlier date.
It is a sad fact that over 400 cross-over accidents occur on Britain's roads every year. In 2005, independent research led the Highways Agency to start using concrete instead of steel barriers and it was decided that all of England's 2013 miles of motorways would be upgraded. Unfortunately, since 2005 a dismal 62 miles of concrete barrier has been installed throughout England.
This month has seen more horrific cross-over incidents, tragically two of them resulting in death. A 31-year old man died on the M6 near Warrington on 22nd April after a motor-home crashed through the steel central reservation and collided with his taxi and two other saloon vehicles on the southbound carriageway. The catastrophe caused a huge pile-up of traffic and it took six hours to recover the vehicles and re-open the motorway. An accident also occurred on April 12th when a 38-year-old father-of-three from London was killed when his Ford Escort collided with a BMW that had crossed the central reservation. The man had his wife and children in the car at the time of the accident, all of whom were rushed to hospital with serious injuries. Another cross-over incident took place in Newcastle when a single-story bus with eight passengers ploughed through the steel central reservation and hit an oncoming heavy goods vehicle. More than 20 fire fighters came to the rescue of the driver and his passengers, most of whom sustained leg or chest injuries. The driver was found to have suffered a spinal injury. Full investigations are now underway to diagnose the cause of these incidents.
Meanwhile, Shadow Transport Minister Robert Goodwill expressed his concern this month about the number of fatal crashes on the M40. He said: “One way of addressing the problem is to introduce concrete step safety barriers instead of standard steel barriers”.
It is important to remember that the Highways Agency fully endorses the case for concrete barrier, after all, it has a duty to reduce congestion and improve safety, but it is reluctant to spend funds on this essential everyday safety precaution until steel barrier has reached the end of its natural life. Last month a Highways Agency spokesman said: “We take safety very seriously. The installation of concrete barriers on motorways will be a phased process. It will apply to new road schemes, existing road improvement schemes such as motorway widening or where existing barriers need replacing”.
So how can concrete barriers help the everyday British motorist?
Concrete barrier eliminates the possibility of a cross-over incident!
Concrete barriers last 40 years. Steel lasts only 12 years. Concrete saves us money in the long-run.
Concrete barriers rarely require repair after a crash. Currently, repairing barriers involves closing a road/lane for repairs to be carried out, with workers being put at risk on the road.
They work equally well with heavier vehicles.
Only one concrete barrier is needed in the central reservation to serve both sides of the road allowing for wider lanes.
There is no headlight dazzle through the barrier.
They need less space as they don't 'deform' like steel barriers.
Civil Engineering Professor John Knapton, from the University of Liverpool, promotes the quick integration of concrete barrier: “I don't know of a case where concrete barriers have been breached. They have been shown to safely contain a lorry or runaway bus. You would think it is a no-brainer but there is much lobbying from the steel industry behind the scenes”.
Thankfully, concrete barrier will live a long and prosperous life on roads such as the M11 Junction 8-9 and the M62 J37-38 due to early installation. Now we need the Highways Agency to focus their attention on upgrading more central reserves to the long-lasting concrete barrier as a matter of urgency. Whilst we sit back and wait for the imminent demise of steel barrier, more motorists will unnecessarily die in motorway cross-over incidents in order to save Government funds.
