HC Deb 11 February 1985 vol 73 cc8-9W
Dr. Marek

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications by regional councils for the installations of safety barriers on trunk roads have been refused in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Mr. Ancram

The information is as follows:

Year Number of requests from regional councils refused
1980 0
1981 0
1982 0
1983 1
1984 0

Dr. Marek

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria must be satisfied before safety barriers are installed on trunk roads in Scotland.

Mr. Ancram

Safety fences are normally recommended only on major roads where speed restrictions permit 80 km/h (50 mph) or above and for which the circumstances below apply; there will also be a need for safety fences on less important roads where there may be exceptional hazards either affecting the layout or the roadside.

A. VERGES

  1. (a) On embankments 6.0m or more in height.
  2. (b) On embankments where there is a road, railway, river or abnormal hazard at the foot of the slope.
  3. (c) On the outside only of curves less than about 850m radius on embankments between 3.0m and 6.0m in height.
  4. (d) At obstructions such as bridge piers, or abutments, or posts to large signs.

B. CENTRAL RESERVES

  1. (a) For protection at bridge piers, posts to large signs, etc, which, if displaced would cause danger to other vehicles or persons.
  2. (b) For protection at lighting columns.
  3. (c) On urban roads without central lighting columns where the central reserve is not more than 1.75m wide and enables adequate clearance to be provided between the face of the safety fence and the edge of the carriageway.
  4. (d) On rural roads where the central reserve width is 2.5m or less.
  5. (e) On roads where the difference in carraigeway levels exceeds 1.0m and the slope across the reserve is steeper than 25 per cent.
  6. (f) On such heavily trafficked rural motorways as may be agreed by the Scottish Development Department.
  7. (g) Exceptionally and subject to special justification on all-purpose dual carriageways on which speeds of 100 kph (60 mph) or above are permitted and which have central reserves between 2.5m and 6.0m wide.

Dr. Marek

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what lengths of safety barriers have been replaced on motorways and on other trunk roads in Scotland each year for the last five years for which figures are available.

Mr. Ancram

Replacement of safety barriers is one of several categories of trunk road maintenance work which comprise a single item in the annual expenditure accounts submitted to the Scottish Development Department by regional councils, as agent authorities. It cannot therefore be identified separately.