WRITTEN QUESTION E-0381/00 by Juan Ojeda Sanz (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Improving road safety by tackling accident black spots and sections of road with high accident rates.
C 330 E/146 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 21. 11. 2000 However the Commission well understands the necessity of ensuring passengers are informed about their rights, if they are to insist on their respect. For that reason, it plans to launch an immediate initiative to improve information to passengers. It intends to arrange for the publication and display, in airports, travel agencies and the offices of airlines, of a charter of all existing rights. This would cover compensation for denied boarding, among other things. (2000/C 330 E/165) WRITTEN QUESTION E-0381/00 by Juan Ojeda Sanz (PPE-DE) to the Commission (14 February 2000) Subject: Improving road safety by tackling accident áblack spotsí and sections of road with high accident rates The most recent information concerning the new communication on road safety currently being drawn up by the Commission seems to indicate that the new programme áclassifiesí the proposed measures by order of effectiveness, on the basis of the now-popular measure of EUR 1 million. However, like previous programmes, which were too general in nature, the new communication may miss a unique opportunity to take more decisive action on infrastructure and, more specifically, on áblack spotsí, using engineering techniques which experts term álow costí. What effectiveness rating does the Commissionís new communication attach to tackling accident black spots and improving sections of road with high accident rates as a road safety measure? Does the Commission intend to issue Europe-wide recommendations on the definition and typology of these álow-cost engineering techniquesí? Finally, does the Commission intend to draw up Europe-wide recommendations on tackling accident black spots, and to create a budget line for co-financing relevant projects at national level? Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission (30 March 2000) In its forthcoming communication on road safety, infrastructure measures including improvements to the layout and design of roadside objects to reduce the severity of injury in a road accident, and management of black spots, have been identified as priorities. the low cost In general these measures appear to be very cost-effective with an estimated cost per avoided fatality starting at around € 80 000. Investments in these infrastructure measures have to be left to local authorities but the Commission will develop guidelines in order to exchange best practice experience. Moreover authorities at all levels are recommended to bring the benefit of such measures closer to those who decide on the investments by means of targeted financial programmes