The World Bank experts, just like the authors of the NIK report on road traffic safety, believe the key thing is to appoint a single body coordinating all initiatives related to road traffic safety. Stable financing of such measures is equally important. According to both institutions improving road infrastructure is a chance to limit the most serious accidents and collisions.
World Bank experts on road safety improvement
NIK and World Bank
According to Soames Job, the World Bank expert in global road safety, it would be a good idea to use the Swedish solution in Poland: the so-called 2+1 road model. Both Poland and Sweden are similar in geographic terms. What the Swedish did comes down to eliminating one traffic lane on four-lane roads. As a consequence, they have three-lane roads with two lanes in one direction and one in the opposite direction (used interchangeably). There are protection barriers on both sides of the roads and the roads are clearly separated from each other. 2200 km of roads have been reconstructed in Sweden in that way since 1990.
Additionally, speed limits were lowered and speed enforcement was strengthened. ”These efforts have brought an extraordinary outcome” - comments Job. And he provides figures: fatality in accidents on the 2+1 roads fell by over 90 per cent!
But road reconstruction is a costly and time-consuming process. Radosław Czapski, the World Bank coordinator for transport and infrastructure, mentioned that sometimes investors abuse the road safety argument. ”Therefore, it is so important that there is a single coordinating body to monitor, plan, verify and oversee execution of all road safety measures” - claims Czapski. That will help the state avoid wasting time and money on unnecessary investments.
The findings and recommendations of the World Bank and NIK are similar. Both institutions want to cooperate to promote them. ”If we speak one voice it will be easier to persuade decision-makers in Poland to implement essential changes” - argued NIK President Krzysztof Kwiatkowski during the meeting with the World Bank representatives. Marina Wes, who represents the World Bank in Poland, invited NIK experts to take part in meetings on road safety improvement. On the other hand, the World Bank specialists will attend the experts panel planned by NIK, that will precede the audit of pedestrians and cyclists’ safety on the road. Both institutions also want to collaborate in educational projects addressed both to road users and road operators.
