SAFETY ON EUROPEAN ROADS AS THE THEME OF THE 9th ROAD SAFETY CONFERENCE 2016
On 8 March ASECAP (European Association of Operators of Toll Road Infrastructures) organised its 9th Road Safety Conference in Warsaw. The key theme of the conference was discussing the conditions necessary to achieve the "vision zero" goal of no fatalities on European roads. A lot of attention was also paid to the challenges of popularising intelligent systems in modern cars. During the conference the formation of the Polish Toll Motorways forum (Polskie Autostrady Koncesyjne – PAK) was announced, which brings together the concessionaires of Polish toll motorways.
The 9th annual ASECAP Road Safety Conference was devoted to the issues of international cooperation and shaping common policy of increasing safety standards in motorway traffic and the exchange of information and experience between the members of the association and the Polish road administration. Participants of the event included e.g. Szabolcs Schmidt (European Commission, Head of the Road Safety Unit, DG MOVE), José Braga (Vice President of ASECAP), Kallistratos Dionelis (Secretary General of ASECAP), Antonio Avenoso (Executive Director, European Transport Safety Council), Konrad Romik (Secretary of the National Road Safety Council), Andrzej Maciejewski (Deputy of the General Director of the General Directorate of National Roads and Motorways), and the representatives of European and Polish concessionaires as well as the representatives of the scientific community, drivers and road users.
"Increasing safety on European roads is one of the main ASECAP's objectives. Its implementation requires multidimensional cooperation of all bodies and institutions engaged in managing road infrastructure and lawmaking concerning safety. The Road Safety conference is the opportunity to exchange experiences, assess legislative solutions and jointly elaborate recommendations. The 9th meeting has proven this cooperation to be quite fruitful and it really translates into improved safety on European roads” – said Robert Nowak, Vice-President of Autostrada Wielkopolska S.A.
During the conference it was announced that the forum of Polish Toll Motorways (Polskie Autostrady Koncesyjne - PAK) had been established within the Polish Confederation Lewiatan. It brings together concessionaires of toll roads in Poland. The forum includes Autostrada Wielkopolska S.A., Autostrada Wielkopolska II S.A., Stalexport Autostrada Małopolska S.A. and Gdańsk Transport Company S.A. The aim of establishing the PAK forum is striving at tighter cooperation, including joint ventures aimed at the development and promotion of safe behaviour of drivers on roads. The forum is also aimed at representing interests of its members in contacts with the representatives of the public party.
"Safety on roads is not only the issue of infrastructure, regulations or technology. It is also the issue of education, accessing drivers, increasing the level of awareness and responsibility. The Road Safety Conference is also the opportunity to exchange such experiences at the international forum. Polish concessionaires are the example of good cooperation in this respect and establishing the PAK forum will definitely contribute to further cooperation not only on safety issues but also constructive dialogue with the public party” – says Paweł Kocot, Member of the Management Board of Stalexport Autostrada Małopolska S.A.
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ASECAP – European Association of Operators of Toll Road Infrastructures operating continuously from 1973 is an organisation bringing together concessionaires of toll motorways from all around Europe, initiated by representatives of concessionaires from France, Italy, Austria, Spain, Greece, Portugal and Norway. At the beginning of 2016 Andora's operator – Tunel d’Envalira - joined ASECAP's structures, becoming the 22nd member of the association. Autostrada Wielkopolska SA that also represents Gdansk Transport Company and Stalexport Autostrada Małopolska in ASECAP, has been an active member since 2007. Currently ASECAP's members' networks span more than 48.000 km of motorways, bridges and tunnels across 22 European countries. In the years 2015-2016 Fabrizio Palenzona from Italy (AISCAT) has been ASECAP's President.
The aim of the association is to improve standards of safety, effective traffic management, operation, construction and financing of toll motorways in Europe. ASECAP's statutory aim is also active participation in discussions concerning the development of a network of safe motorways and improving the quality of road services with government institutions of individual states and EU institutions. One of the fields of the association's activity is also collecting, analysing and reporting motorway data from 22 member states.
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About Stalexport Autostrada Małopolska S.A. (SAM S.A.)
Stalexport Autostrada Małopolska S.A. manages the 60-kilometre long stretch of the A4 motorway between Katowice and Krakow. It is the first fully functional road of this kind in Poland, built within the framework of public-private partnership as a brownfield investment – modernisation of the road built in the 1970s and 1980s. Stalexport Autostrada Małopolska S.A. has held the concession for its adaptation to the requirements of a toll motorway and operation since 1997. Meeting the concession obligations has required numerous investments. All investment projects, including current maintenance of the road, are financed from tolls for using the concession stretch and from loans obtained from an international bank consortium. Unlike other concessions for managing toll motorways, the project run by Stalexport Autostrada Małopolska S.A. does not burden the state budget in any way. The company does not receive the so-called availability payments from the State. The company does not benefit from any State Treasury subsidies or guarantees.
For further information please contact:
Rafał Czechowski
Spokesperson for SAM S.A.
e-mail: [email protected]
tel. 601063200