Open Letter for Safer Roads

Publication date: 27 June 2007

An Open Letter in Support of Higher Safety Levels on Europe’s Roads

We, the undersigned organisations (representing a broad range of road users, road safety organisations, public authorities, infrastructure operators and industries), welcome the proposal for a Directive on Road Infrastructure Safety Management, as being part of the “integrated approach to road safety” (linking the users, the vehicle and the infrastructure aspects) and a step in the right direction to reach the EU’s objective of halving the number of deaths on European roads by 2010.
We therefore invite the European Parliament (whose Transport Committee rejected the proposal during its meeting of June 5th) to carefully re-examine the content of the European Commission’s proposal and we urge all MEPs and the European Commission to re-open a direct and frank debate in order to clarify current misunderstandings, better explore areas for consensus and consequently adopt the proposed directive.

In our view, this proposal does not contradict the Better Regulation Agenda, as it does not introduce any extra costs or further administrative burden on those Member States which already boast good safety records, but provides a clear added value for enhanced road safety on road sections in need of improvement, and mainly in those new Member States that could gain major benefits from the implementation of this directive. Accepting a constructive approach and a further examination of the directive would send a strong and positive message to all European citizens, at a time when road safety has become a priority within the European Union’s agenda.

Based on the above considerations, we underline that, in order to analyse all the parameters affecting road safety and successfully meet the EU’s safety targets, a continuing and transparent dialogue, gathering all 27 Member States, the European Parliament, the European Commission, as well as the relevant stakeholders whose task consists of providing policy-makers with expertise and background information, is needed in order to reach the consensus that is essential for the common interest of Europe’s society.

Please read a background information paper on the proposed Directive at http://www.saferoads.eu/

European Union Road Federation
International Road Federation

Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
Federation of European Motorcyclists' Associations
Association Européenne des Concessionnaires d’Autoroutes et d’Ouvrages

Association des Constructeurs Européens de Motocycles
Association des Constructeurs Européens d’Automobiles

European Asphalt Pavement Association
Confederation of Organisations in Road Transport Enforcement

Association of European Vehicle Logistics

Cities and Regions networking for Innovative Transport Solutions

International Road Transport Union

European Transport Safety Council
International Federation of Pedestrians