One in three tunnels fail EuroTAP 2008

Publication date: 07 July 2008

PRESS RELEASE

Brussels, 7th July 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

On the basis of 31 European tunnels tested for EuroTAP 2008, the positive trends witnessed in recent years came to a sudden stop. The results of the 2008 tunnel test, undertaken in 11 countries, were the worst in five years. Every third tunnel failed, including two ratings of “poor” and seven “very poor”. Seven tunnels were rated “acceptable”. These tunnels fulfil the bare minimum standards set by the EU Directive on safety in road tunnels. More positively, though, ten tunnels were deemed “very good” and five tunnels “good”.

The tunnel tests, carried out by German Automobile Association ADAC together with 19 partner clubs, have been an authoritative test of European tunnel safety for ten years now. Club testing began in the 1999, the year of the Mont Blanc and Tauern tunnel catastrophes. This year, EuroTAP tunnel test received the backing of even more motoring clubs and is supported in 2008 by the FIA Foundation.

Joining EuroTAP 2008, were the clubs ACL (Luxembourg), ACP (Portugal), AL (Finland), FDM (Denmark), FFAC (France), FIB (Iceland) and M (Sweden). They will enable EuroTAP to reach even more drivers and to work via media and politicians for tunnel safety in their countries.

The winner of EuroTAP 2008 is Andorra's 1.3 kilometre long Pont Pla tunnel, opened in 2006. ADAC inspectors came to the conclusion that the state-of-the-art tunnel Pont Pla was the very opposite of the worst tunnel, Italy's 2.4 kilometre-long Cernebbio tunnel, opened in 1983. This is the fourth Italian tunnel in succession to come last in the EuroTAP. Despite Italy's continually poor showing, Norway still managed to post the worst overall country results with all three of its tunnels tested trailing the last-placed Italian tunnel. Norway's Eikefet, Jernfjell and Matreberg tunnels received "very poor" ratings, whilst three out of the five Italian tunnels were rated “very poor”: the Breva near Menaggio, Cernobbio and even the newly built Marinasco tunnel, near La Spezia. Belgium's Waasland tunnel in Antwerp also received a rating of “very poor”. A mildly positive note for Italy were the ratings of “acceptable” given to the Serrone Tondo tunnel (opened in 2007) and the Valsassina tunnel's "good". The Spanish Pando tunnel and German Universität Düsseldorf tunnel rated “poor”.

Commenting on this year’s EuroTAP results MEP and professor Reinhard Rack said: “The Tunnel Safety Directive was adopted in 2004. Public authorities and operators still fail to fulfil our recommendations towards the improvement of tunnel safety disparities across Europe.” Rack was author of the Parliament's 2004 report on the now adopted Directive on minimum Standards for Tunnel Safety. It should be fully implemented by 2014 in most member states or for just a few exceptions 2019. “There are still many tunnels in Europe which need to be upgraded and refurbished in order to fulfil the minimum standards of the EU Directive,” said Caroline Ofoegbu of the FIA European Bureau.

States still find reasons to delay tunnel safety improvements. Norway’s Road Administration talks of low tunnel traffic volumes s and rare tunnel accidents. Given traffic growth rates of up to four percent annually, it is only a matter of time before a catastrophe could happen. “We will continue to test tunnels and to exert public pressure via the media. The people in charge will respond with investment and tunnel refurbishment,” warned Robert Sauter, EuroTAP Chairman from the German Automobile club ADAC. “The consequences are safe tunnels and ultimately this will benefit everybody.”

Cernobbio: Italy’s tunnels still in need of improvement

Around 18,000 vehicles pass through the 25-year old Cernobbio tunnel on the SS 340 near Cernobbio on Lake Como. Despite its bright walls, good lighting and several lay-bys, this 2.5 kilometre tunnel has just one single emergency exit. The escape route is not signposted and there are no emergency phones, loudspeakers, message displays or tunnel traffic radio reception. Also lacking is video surveillance, automatic traffic detection, fire extinguishers. In the event of a fire, there is no automatic fire alarm system to activate the inadequate ventilation system. Added to this there is no tunnel control centre, emergency response plan, nor regular training and emergency drills for staff. Cernobbio is the very opposite of a safe tunnel. However, on a positive note the Automobile club d’Italia have forged strong relations with ANAS Italy’s national road authority also responsible for tunnels on public highways. Apart from publishing a joint “safe in the tunnel leaflet” ACI and ANAS will be working together to improve the ratings of tunnels under this national authority’s control.

www.eurotap.eu