Road Tunnels to be safer in Future

Publication date: 06 April 2004

The Transport Committee today endorsed in second reading proposals to improve the safety of tunnels on the trans-European Road network (COM(2004) 147 - COD(2002) 0309). MEPs approved the Council's common position unamended when they adopted a recommendation by Reinhard Rack MEP. The Council had accepted most of Parliament's key first-reading amendments, in particular on the needs of disabled people.

com2004_147_tunnels.pdf (176 KB)

Clear minimum safety standards for infrastructure, tunnel operation and traffic rules lie at the heart of this new directive. All heavy goods vehicles, buses and coaches entering tunnels will have to be equipped with fire extinguishers. Better signs and other information are another important feature which should enable people to escape accidents.

In addition to including specific references to the needs of the disabled, Parliament and Council have agreed on a range of technical issues such as gradients and escape routes. They also agreed to reject the Commission's over-rigid tunnel classification system.

The new legislation lays down safety rules for all existing and future tunnels of over 500 metres in length. The 512 tunnels to be affected by the new rules are mostly in Austria and Italy. By the interim date of 2010, 64 tunnels in Austria must comply with the rules, along with 246 in Italy, 55 in Germany, 35 in France, 45 in Greece, 25 in Spain, 12 in the UK, 11 in the Netherlands, 5 in Finland, 3 Denmark, 3 Luxembourg, 3 in Sweden, 2 in Belgium, 2 in Portugal and 1 in Ireland.

Next step:
Plenary vote in the week of 19-22 April 2004

Related News Item:
EU paves way for Safer Tunnels (26 February 2004)