Project Evaluation - Safety

Relevant TPOs

M8 Baillieston to Newhouse

To improve safety, in particular;
- to reduce conflicts between vehicles and between vehicles and other road users in the A8 corridor

Accidents

Comparison Between Pre and Post-Opening Personal Injury Accident Numbers

A comparison of the number and severity of personal injury accidents (PIAs) occurring within the vicinity of the upgraded network has been undertaken to establish the impact of the project. PIAs for the following periods have been examined:

Pre-Opening – January 2011 to December 2013
Post-Opening – January 2018 to December 2018

A summary of the PIA data is shown in Table 3 and Figure 74.

Table 3: PIA Data Summary
Period	Year	Slight PIA	Serious PIA	Fatal PIA
Pre-Opening	2011	65	2	2
Pre-Opening	2012	88	2	0
Pre-Opening	2013	68	2	0
Pre-Opening	3yr Average	74	3	0
Post-Opening	2018	50	9	2

As can be seen from Table 3 and Figure 74, sixty-one PIAs (two fatal, nine serious and fifty slight) occurred in the 1-year period following the opening of the project. This is in comparison to two-hundred and twenty-nine PIAs (two fatal, six serious and two-hundred and twenty-one slight) in the 3 years before opening.

In order to carry out a more meaningful comparison, an annual average number of PIAs occurring within the pre-opening period considered has been derived for comparison with PIAs occurring in the first year after opening. On this basis, seventy-seven PIAs (three serious and seventy-four slight) occurred, in an average annual period, prior to the opening of the project. This suggests that the total number of PIAs occurring on an annual basis may have reduced (from seventy-seven to sixty-one) following project opening. Further investigation of the data, however, suggests that the number of fatal and serious PIAs increased following opening of the project (an increase from zero to two fatal and three to nine serious PIAs).

To enable a better understanding of the changes in the number and severity of PIAs occurring across the upgraded network, PIAs occurring within each route corridor, in the first year after opening, have been compared with the calculated annual average number of PIAs occurring prior to the opening of the project. This will assist in identifying any specific locations where PIA numbers and / or severities have increased following project opening.

The change in the number of PIAs, by severity, within the M8, M73 / M74 and A725 Corridors, is presented in Figure 75.

Figure 75: Change in PIAs by Route Corridor

Examination of the PIA data presented in Figure 75 indicates that:

The number of serious PIAs increased by three, with the number of slight PIAs decreasing by thirteen, within the M8 Corridor
The number of fatal PIAs increased by one, with the number of slight PIAs decreasing by nine, within the M73 / M74 Corridor
The number of fatal and serious PIAs increased by one and three respectively, with the number of slight PIAs decreasing by two, within the A725 Corridor

The specific locations and severities of PIAs occurring within the vicinity of the project, three years before and one year after project completion, are shown in Figure 76 and Figure 77.

Whilst the analysis suggests that the number of fatal and serious PIAs may have increased following opening of the project, at this 1YA Evaluation stage, it is too early to make any firm conclusions surrounding the impact of the project on road safety. Cognisance must also be taken of the evaluation period, with an element of background traffic growth on the road network as detailed in The Operation of the Project and Process Evaluation section (and the subsequent impact on the occurrence of accidents) over the period from 2011 to 2018. Even with greater volumes of traffic on the road network post-opening compared to pre-opening, the project does appear, however, to be contributing towards an overall reduction in the number of PIAs occurring within its vicinity.

With a specific focus on the two fatal accidents occurring within the first year after opening, the fatal accident which occurred within the A725 Corridor, in November 2018, was as a consequence of a driver, impaired by the effects of an illicit substance. The driver entered the northbound carriageway at Motherwell Road in Bellshill and travelling in the southbound direction of travel at excessive speed, into the face of oncoming traffic, colliding with a motorcyclist on the A725 East Kilbride Expressway south of the Raith Junction, within the vicinity of Blantyre. The collision subsequently resulted in the motorcyclist sustaining fatal injuries.

The available accident records suggest that the fatal accident occurring on the northbound slip road linking the M73 and M8, within the vicinity of the diverge from the M73, in September 2018, involved the driver of a single northbound vehicle carrying out a poor turn or manoeuvre, in fine and dry conditions, resulting in the fatality of the driver and passenger. While there is no information available to suggest the design or layout of the project were a contributory factor in the cause of the accident, it has been noted from on-site observations that the overhead confirmatory gantry, displaying information regarding the appropriate lanes for various travel destinations, is obscured for northbound drivers by an overbridge located to the south of the overhead confirmatory gantry. This is as indicated in Figure 78.

Figure 78: M73 Northbound View of Obscured Overhead Confirmatory Gantry

While there is no available evidence to suggest the obscured confirmatory gantry played a factor in the fatal accident which occurred on the northbound slip road linking the M73 and M8, it is not unreasonable to assume that road users unfamiliar with the layout of the motorway network may find themselves in an inappropriate lane within the vicinity of the junction. A separate overhead advance gantry, displaying relevant travel information for road users, is located some 500 metres to the south of this location. Should road users fail to observe the information provided, however, the obscuration of the confirmatory gantry within the vicinity of the M73 diverge could result in manoeuvres being performed with the potential to increase the risk of an accident occurring at this location.

The details and causation factors of the PIAs occurring within the first year after opening are assessed as part of the RSA process, the findings from which are typically reported as part of the evaluation process. The RSA process is discussed in the following sub-section.

The project’s impact on the number and severities of PIAs occurring within the vicinity of the upgraded sections of the motorway network will be confirmed as part of the project’s 3YA and / or 5YA Evaluation, at which point, longer term data will be available on which more robust comparisons of pre and post-opening data can be undertaken.

Road Safety Audits

The RSA process has been followed, with Stage 1 and 2 Audits carried out during the project’s design phase. A Stage 3 RSA was carried out following completion of project construction, with site visits undertaken in both May 2017 and September 2017. The Stage 3 RSA noted a number of issues and recommendations, including but not limited to:

Unfinished works (unfinished sections of safety barrier, missing road studs, signs not erected etc) which should be completed and reviewed by the Audit Team at a later date.
A standard advance direction sign, on the southbound M74 approach to Bothwell services (for the services and the A725 at Raith) incorrectly advises drivers of appropriate lane usage. This could result in sudden or late lane changing manoeuvres if a driver intent on taking the exit at Raith realises that they are in an off-slip lane for Bothwell services, which could lead side-swipe type collisions and injury to vehicle occupants.
Advanced direction signs which are obscured by trees.
Lamp columns appear to be within the working width of the safety barrier. If vehicles collide into the barrier, it may not deform correctly where the lamp columns are located, which could result in injury to road users.
Ponding was observed within the hard shoulder of the M74 at the Raith bridge-deck. Standing water at this location could be a skid / loss of control hazard for road users, particularly in wet weather.
At 2-lane roundabouts exits at Raith Junction, hazard markings have been laid along the carriageway edge. This is incorrect and inappropriate; this could result in driver confusion and lead to hesitation or late lane changing. Side swipe or shunt type collisions could occur at these exits. Hazard type markings at roundabout exits should be removed.
Risk of pedestrian / vehicle collisions on circulatory carriageway at the Raith Junction. The potential practice by pedestrians of walking around the roundabout should be discouraged by the provision of pedestrian fencing at strategic points along this possible route. All pedestrian routes and areas around the interchange should be lit and assessed by the Audit Team at a later date.
At the crossing point over Langside Road, at Raith Junction, there may be pedestrian demand to cross at the crossing and turn to the left. However, pedestrians wishing to do this will experience a “gap” in the footway provision, which could lead to slip or trip hazards for pedestrians, or to pedestrians walking in the carriageway. A footway link should be provided along the short length of verge
Positioning of chevron signs at Chapelhall and Eurocentral Junctions could lead to late awareness of the existence of the roundabouts and late braking shunt type collisions, loss of control, or overshoot type collisions, any of which could result in injury to vehicle occupants.
Risk that drivers on the circulatory carriageway of roundabouts located on the eastbound A8 APR could inadvertently turn left and travel the wrong way along the APRs. This could result in head-on type vehicle collisions, which could result in serious injury to road users. No-entry signs should be provided facing the circulatory carriageway, where the eastbound APRs meet the roundabouts.
Drivers travelling along the APRs may be unaware of the merges ahead where the Newhouse junction slip roads meet the APRs. This could result in side swipe type collisions between APR and slip road merging traffic. Permanent merge warning signs should be provided along the APRs and slip roads.

The Stage 3 RSA noted that elements of the project were not completed at the time of the audit. As such, the project could not be audited in its entirety. The Stage 3 RSA recommended that the audit team review the project again at such time that all elements of the project have been completed to ensure all items have been effectively reviewed. Details of a completed Stage 3 RSA, and the findings of the audit team’s subsequent review of the recommendations made as part of the initial Stage 3 RSA, were not available at the time of the 1YA Evaluation.

A Stage 4 RSA was not completed at the time of the 1YA Evaluation. While a Stage 4 Audit is normally undertaken to examine accidents occurring in the first year after opening, the audit will be undertaken at an appropriate time, in-line with the project’s DBFO contract.

While a Stage 4 RSA is not currently available at the time of the 1YA Evaluation, SRP (the contractor) has, however, undertaken an Annual Road Safety Review Report. This reports on an annual Moving Cursor Programme (MCP) and examined accidents occurring over the three-year period January 2016 to December 2018 inclusive. The annual report recommended that accidents be monitored and investigated at the A725 Shawhead Junction and highlighted that this was already being undertaken a part of a separate commission be BEAR Scotland.

BEAR Scotland undertook a road safety review and conflict study examining conditions are the A725 / Kirkshaws Road / Hagmill Road junction, the A725 / A8 Road Junction and the A725 North Road Junction, in addition to the area north of the A725 / Kirkshaws Road / Hagmill Road junction, in March and November 2019 respectively. The Road Safety Review focussed on collision analysis and the junctions and provided a summary of observations made relating to the operation of the junctions observed during several site visits. The Conflict Study provided details of traffic flows, movements and speeds in this area and outlined details of the type, volume and severity of conflicts occurring at the junctions over a one-week period. Both reports concluded that while several vehicle conflicts were observed (which it is recognised can cause stress and anxiety to the road users involved) the nature of these conflicts was low in severity. Consequently, such situations would be unlikely to result in collisions involving serious injuries.

Accidents within the vicinity of the project will continue to be monitored by Transport Scotland and SRP. A Stage 4 RSA will be undertaken at the appropriate time, in-line with the project’s DBFO contract. This will be reviewed, alongside the findings of the MCP and any other related safety studies, within a subsequent evaluation (either a 3YA and / or 5YA Evaluation) of the project.

Safety: Key Findings

Initial indications at the time of the 1YA Evaluation suggest that the project may have resulted in an overall improvement in road safety within its extents, with the total number of PIAs occurring on an annual basis reducing (from seventy-seven to sixty-one) following project opening.

Further investigation of the data, however, suggests that the number of fatal and serious PIAs may have increased following opening of the project (an increase from zero to two fatal and three to nine serious PIAs). Of these fatal and serious PIAs, an increase of three serious PIAs was observed within the M8 Corridor, an increase of one fatal PIA was observed within the M73 / M74 Corridor and an increase of one fatal and three serious PIAs was observed within the A725 Corridor.

Whilst the analysis suggests that the number of fatal and serious PIAs may have increased following opening of the project, it is too early to make any firm conclusions surrounding the impact of the project on road safety at the time of the 1YA Evaluation. Instead, the project’s impact on the number and severities of PIAs occurring within the vicinity of the upgraded sections of the motorway network will be confirmed as part of the project’s 3YA and / or 5YA Evaluation. At which point, longer term data will be available on which more robust comparisons of pre and post-opening data can be undertaken.

Accidents within the vicinity of the project will be continued to be monitored by Transport Scotland and SRP. Actions to address the findings and recommendations from the Stage 3 RSA undertaken following project construction were not available, at the time of the 1YA Evaluation. A Stage 4 RSA will be undertaken at the appropriate time, in-line with the project’s DBFO contract.

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