As the entity responsible for managing the road and rail infrastructure, the safety of all users is of paramount importance to IP.
The constant reinforcement of a culture of Safety, through the development of competences and the provision of the required resources, is a permanent concern of company management and seeks to ensure services which are safe, efficient and sustainable.
IP manages Safety following an integrated approach and guided by the same policy for both road and rail, with emphasis on the workers, users and entities with which the company interacts with regard to the design, maintenance and operation of infrastructures.
Road Safety Plan
Preventing the occurrence of driver errors
Mitigating the consequences of possible errors
Partners
Road Safety
IP has achieved a considerable reduction in road accident levels, particularly over the last 15 years, with a fall of 56% in the number of accidents involving injury and 79% in the number of fatalities. Targets have also been continuously complied with as set out in the concession contract with the Portuguese state.
A key aspect to consider in road safety is that around 95% of accidents occur due to human error. The IP Safe Transport System (STS) takes this and other aspects into account and while accidents cannot be completely avoided, all measures possible should be taken to prevent deaths and serious injury.
The role of the infrastructure manager in this regard is vital, as it is through such infrastructure that driver error should be avoided and the seriousness of any errors minimized. The Tolerant Road, campaign is based on this concept which takes into account human error while also considering the vulnerability and physical limitations of the human body. IP seeks to apply such aspects in its approach to Road Safety.
In order to carry out any possible corrections to infrastructure at accident blackspots, every year IP draws up a Road Safety Plan (RSP), as provided for in Decree-Law No 222/98 of 9 July. This plan sets out a series of strategic goals and areas of intervention.
- PENSE 2020
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As a means of bringing together collective will, PENSE 2020 seeks to attain five strategic goals: to improve road safety management, to achieve greater safety for users, to make the infrastructure safer, to promote greater vehicle safety and to improve victim assistance and support.
The steps to achieve these strategic goals are based on 13 operational objectives, which in turn are achieved via 34 actions and 107 measures, and which involve full commitment from all participating entities including those directly responsible.
IP participates in PENSE2020 as the entity responsible or jointly responsible for seven of the measures:
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Measure A11.44 - Defining and implementing a rumble strip plan which alerts drivers when they stray from the lane;
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Measure A14.63 - Identifying and assessing spots where a high risk of pedestrians being run over exists and then implementing solutions to change configuration, introduce measures to slow down traffic, improve lighting or instal traffic lights;
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Measure A20.80 - Identifying, through the use of a detection application stretches of high accident occurrence (TIPRRN)- so as to execute priority intervention work in the NRN;
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Measure A20.81 - Establishing, executing, monitoring and assessing, intervention programmes in TIPRRN;
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Measure A21.82 - Selecting crossing points for priority intervention;
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Measure A21.83 - Developing and implementing intervention projects;
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Measure A23.87 - Drawing up a manual on the Road Safety Transport System (STS) for road infrastructure managers.
Estimated costs involved in achieving these 7 measures is approximately 75 million euros.
In addition to these measures, IP also participates, as an involved entity, in 11 other measures under the responsibility of other entities.
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