Background and Scope

The objective of the Conference was to promote the efficient use of engineering knowledge to reduce highway accident rates and provide safer runway conditions for aircraft hence the conference title:

'managing road and runway surfaces to improve safety!'

The ever-changing issues of increasing traffic flows and types of vehicles and aircraft place more pressure on existing materials and practices. Climate change is also having an impact, as extreme events are occurring more frequently and increasing risk to the traveling public.

Many agencies now appreciate skid resistance is an important factor, among other surface characteristics, which influence accident rates. These agencies are introducing policies to manage the skid resistance and other surface characteristics, which in turn requires a complete change in thinking by staff within their organisations.

Materials are continually being developed to manage these changes and enable new standards to be met. This encourages agencies and consultants to become more innovative to achieve best value in road and runway safety maintenance and practices.

Agencies are also using the results of studies, linking driver behaviour and perception with the road environment to produce innovative ways to reduce accident rates and these changes need to use the appropriate surface materials.

The Conference provided a platform for the latest developments in the range of techniques being applied to improve safety which were discussed by:

asset managers
practicing engineers
safety engineers/auditors
crash investigators
road and runway designers
airport maintenance managers
equipment suppliers
survey contractors
materials suppliers
surface friction experts
maintenance contractors
researchers

The conference provided the ideal forum for the discussion of different interests by the stakeholders in the national networks.
These included the views of:

cyclists, horse-riders and pedestrians
motorists
the police and accident investigation teams
barristers and solicitors
motoring organisations
Highway authorities

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