TRL (the Transport Research Laboratory) has received its eighth Prince Michael International Road Safety Award for its work in improving road worker safety.
TRL won the award for its research underpinning Off Side Signs Removal (OSSR), a signing technique for roadworks which has enabled elimination of live carriageway crossings by road workers.
The project, delivered in close collaboration with Highways England and the Road Workers’ Safety Forum (RoWSaF), also won the Judges’ Special Merit Award at October’s Highways Magazine Excellence Awards.
The research programme, technically led by TRL, consisted of a series of simulator and on-road trials which proved that road user safety was unaffected when signs were only installed on the nearside verge.
The research culminated in the release of Interim Advice Note 150/15 in September 2015 by Highways England, allowing omission of all central reservation signing at short-term road works on two, three or four lane dual carriageway roads. As a result, Highways England has been able to reduce the number of carriageway crossings undertaken each year from 3.7 million to effectively zero.
The award was presented to TRL, Highways England and RoWSaF by His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent at an award ceremony at The Savoy in London on the 8th December. Presenting the award, Prince Michael said: “Your commitment and ingenuity deserve the highest praise.”
Rob Wallis, chief executive at TRL, said: “We’re truly honoured to have received such a prestigious award. The OSSR project has helped to deliver what is recognised as one of the biggest single improvements in road worker safety in the last decade – zero carriageway crossings. This shows the determination and drive we continue to put into saving lives and improving road safety for all.”
