With the skid resistance levels of over a quarter of the local road network reported to be questionable and requiring further investigation, the Road Surface Treatments Association (RSTA) is calling for greater use of high friction surfacing (HFS).
The latest Department for Transport Road Conditions in England reports that, over the three year period 2014/15 to 2016/17, 27% of the local road network has questionable skid resistance levels. The London Boroughs had the highest proportion of the road network requiring further investigation, at 48%. Skidding resistance figures do not necessarily reflect safety levels on the network but do indicate sites where further investigation is required.
“The greatest potential for increased accidents due to reduced skidding resistance is at road junctions approaches to traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and roundabouts as well as road stretches that have high accidents levels”, advised Howard Robinson, RSTA chief executive. “In addition to regularly surface dressing their roads, local authorities need to ensure that these potential accident hot spots are made as safe as possible with the use of high friction surfacing”.
High friction surfacing is a proven road surface treatment that increases skid resistance and reduces braking distance thereby reducing the potential for accidents. With a skid accident reduction of over 50% its success speaks for itself: it saves lives and money. Treatment with high friction surfacing makes potentially high risk road locations far safer for both drivers and pedestrians and the financial savings of achieving this are considerable. With the associated accident and investigation costs of non-motorway fatal accidents calculated to be £1.4million, the application of high friction surfacing offers considerable financial value.
However, despite the benefits of high friction surfacing over the last few years there has been a serious decline in its use due in large part to local authorities’ misplaced concerns about service life, durability and increasing costs. “When installed correctly HFS has an average service life of 8 – 12 years. With regards to cost, since the 1980’s the cost of HFS has been able to be balanced against a broader savings strategy with allocated accident investigation and prevention budgets proving the investment savings from high friction surfacing against the cost of accidents and casualties”, said Robinson.
RSTA has developed ADEPT endorsed industry best practice guidance and approved by the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and the Institute of Highways Engineers approved training courses to ensure best practice installation of this potentially life-saving road surface treatment.