Trans-European road network : minimum safety requirements for tunnels

PURPOSE : to establish minimum safety requirements for tunnels in the Trans-European Road Network. LEGISLATIVE ACT : Directive 2004/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council. CONTENT : this Directive aims to ensure safety in tunnels by preventing critical events that may endanger human life, the environment and tunnel installations, as well as by the provision of protection in case of accidents. It applies to all tunnels in the Trans-European Road Network with lengths of over 500 m, whether they are in operation, under construction or at the design stage. Member States must ensure that tunnels in their territory meet the minimum safety requirements laid down in Annex I. Where certain structural requirements laid down in Annex I can only be satisfied through technical solutions which either cannot be achieved or can be achieved only at disproportionate cost, the Administrative Authority established by this Directive may accept the implementation of risk reduction measures as an alternative to application of those requirements. The alternative measures must result in equivalent or improved protection. The efficiency of these measures must be demonstrated through a risk analysis in conformity with the provisions of the directive. Member States will inform the Commission of the risk reduction measures accepted as an alternative and provide justification for them. The principal points of the Directive are as follows: - Member States shall designate an administrative authority, which shall have responsibility for ensuring that all aspects of the safety of a tunnel are assured and which shall take the necessary steps to ensure compliance with the Directive. - The Administrative Authority will commission tunnels in accordance with the procedure laid down in Annex II. The Administrative Authority has the power to suspend or restrict the operation of a tunnel if safety requirements are not met. - For each tunnel, whether it is in the design, construction or operating stage, the Administrative Authority must identify as Tunnel Manager the public or private body responsible for the management of the tunnel at the stage in question. The Administrative Authority itself may perform this function. Any significant incident occurring in a tunnel will be the subject of an incident report prepared by the Tunnel Manager. This report shall be forwarded to the Safety Officer established also by this directive, and to the Administrative Authority and to the emergency services within a maximum period of one month. - The Tunnel Manager will nominate one Safety Officer who will coordinate all preventive and safeguards measures to ensure the safety of users and operational staff. The Safety Officer may be a member of the tunnel staff or the emergency services, will be independent in all road tunnel safety issues and will not be under instructions from an employer in respect of those issues. - Inspections, evaluations and tests must be carried out by Inspection Entities. The Administrative Authority may perform this function. The Administrative Authority must verify that regular inspections are carried out by the Inspection Entity to ensure that all tunnels falling within the scope of the Directive comply with its provisions. - Every two years, Member States must compile reports on fires in tunnels and on accidents which clearly affect the safety ofroad users in tunnels, and on the frequency and causes of such incidents, and must evaluate them and provide information on the actual role and effectiveness of safety facilities and measures. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 30/04/04. DATE OF TRANSPOSITION : 30/04/06.�