Road infrastructure standards United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Road infrastructure standards in the UNECE region High level expert group meeting to validate the report on harmonization of road norms and standards in Africa and the draft Intergovernmental Agreement Robert Nowak, UNECE, Transport Division Addis Ababa, 19 September 2011

57 UNECE international transport conventions and agreements United Nations Economic Commission for Europe A regional - and increasingly global – centre for international legal instruments 57 UNECE international transport conventions and agreements - Road, rail, inland waterways and combined transport 5 environmental conventions 35 UNECE trade facilitation recommendations

UNECE legal instruments applied on all continents United Nations Economic Commission for Europe UNECE legal instruments applied on all continents Source: http://live.unece.org/trans/maps/number-of-un-transport-conventions-and-agreements-per-country.html

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Source: http://live.unece.org/trans/conventn/agreem_cp.html

Inland transport infrastructure agreements United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Inland transport infrastructure agreements at UNECE

ROAD RAIL COMBINED/INTERMODAL WATERWAYS United Nations Economic Commission for Europe ROAD RAIL COMBINED/INTERMODAL WATERWAYS

Declaration - 27 Contracting Parties United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Declaration - 27 Contracting Parties Source: http://live.unece.org/trans/maps/un-transport-agreements-and-conventions-01.html

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Source: http://live.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/conventn/ConstructionTrafficArteries.pdf

Predecessor of the 1975 AGR Agreement (Article 6.3) United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Predecessor of the 1975 AGR Agreement (Article 6.3)

AGR - 37 Contracting Parties United Nations Economic Commission for Europe AGR - 37 Contracting Parties Source: http://live.unece.org/trans/maps/un-transport-agreements-and-conventions-01.html

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Source: http://live.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/conventn/ECE-TRANS-SC1-384e.pdf

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Source: http://live.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/conventn/ECE-TRANS-SC1-384e.pdf

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Source: http://live.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/conventn/ECE-TRANS-SC1-384e.pdf

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Source: http://live.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/conventn/ECE-TRANS-SC1-384e.pdf

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe E-road network

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

West-East North-South United Nations Economic Commission for Europe West-East North-South

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Class-A roads

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Class-A roads

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Class-B roads

Emphasis on safety and traffic flow conditions (min. congestion) United Nations Economic Commission for Europe 1. Motorways 2. Express roads 3. Ordinary roads (X) Emphasis on safety and traffic flow conditions (min. congestion)

Latin characters to be used with other alphabets United Nations Economic Commission for Europe - In accordance with the principles set out in international conventions and agreements Non-literal messages to make them comprehensible to road users of any country Latin characters to be used with other alphabets In accordance with the principles set out in international conventions and agreements

Draft Annex III, TAH network: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Draft Annex III, TAH network: In Africa, there are few Contracting Parties to the 1968 Convention In Africa, there are also few Contracting Parties to the 1949 Protocol on Road Signs and Signals Road sign, signals and road markings should be consistent along the TAH routes Also, they should be consistent within a country UNECE may provide capacity building concerning accession to relevant conventions and agreements to make TAH a success

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Source: http://live.unece.org/trans/maps/un-transport-agreements-and-conventions-09.html

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Source: http://live.unece.org/trans/maps/un-transport-agreements-and-conventions-10.html

Tauern, 12 dead, 1999 Mont Blanc, 39 dead, 1999 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Tauern, 12 dead, 1999 Mont Blanc, 39 dead, 1999 St. Gotthard, 11 dead, 2001

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

AGR Agreement deposited with the UN Secretary General (Article 17) United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Process: AGR Agreement deposited with the UN Secretary General (Article 17) Amendments considered by the ECE’s Working Party on Road Transport (Articles 7, 8 and 9) SC.1 meets typically once a year

Need to periodically describe and monitor the AGR network United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Process: Need to periodically describe and monitor the AGR network E-road census

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe E-road censuses

Road infrastructure agreement alone is not enough: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Road infrastructure agreement alone is not enough: A system/network approach Need to develop/apply complementary – to road infrastructure - legal instruments 1968 Conventions on Road Traffic and on Road Signs and Signals Harmonization Convention/TIR – border crossing facilitation; ADR – transport of dangerous goods; CMR – legal liability; Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations; Periodic Inspections

Source: http://live.unece.org/transport/resources/publications.html United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Source: http://live.unece.org/transport/resources/publications.html

Borders are important in inter’l transport United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Borders are important in inter’l transport Declaration (1950) AGR (1975)

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe The unpredictability at borders and/or waiting for goods to be released/cleared may be very costly Bishkek – Warsaw route Min. border time: 0.4 day Max. border time: 4.5 days Min.: 5 Avg.: 11 Max.: 26 hrs Source: NELTI Final Report, www.iru.org

Inefficient borders may nullify investment in road infrastructure United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Inefficient borders may nullify investment in road infrastructure

AGR (1975) Agreement - benefits? United Nations Economic Commission for Europe AGR (1975) Agreement - benefits?

High and early interest in integrating and standardizing United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Road: High and early interest in integrating and standardizing The 1950 Declaration; substantive revision in 1975 (AGR Agreement) High standards: comprehensive and technically demanding Complemented by other “operational” legal instruments (road traffic, signs and signals, transport of dangerous goods, vehicle harmonization, border crossing facilitation) Complemented by the legal liability regime (CMR Agreement) Ongoing interest and amendments (road safety audits)

Dominant and growing share United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Road: Dominant and highly competitive transport mode in Europe (80-90% share in passenger/goods transport) Dominant and growing share Interest in Euro-Asian transport; est. 50% trips > 500km New vehicle fleets; EURO environmental standards

AGC developed in 1985; “feasible” standards United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Rail: AGC developed in 1985; “feasible” standards Rail infrastructure and operations set up on a national basis Gauge width, vehicle loading gauge, electric current differences Different infrastructure, operational/performance and legal standards Two legal (liability) regimes Recently, infrastructure and operations separated

To assist, avoid deadlines for implementation United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Conclusions: E-road network a successful and highly integrated international system - rail transport still fragmented, integration costly and challenging Be ambitious and forward looking – do not set the lowest common denominator standards To assist, avoid deadlines for implementation Start early – the “window of opportunity” may not be available for long Public and private sectors – excellent co-operation when working towards a common objective

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe www.unece.org

AGC - 27 Contracting Parties United Nations Economic Commission for Europe AGC - 27 Contracting Parties Source: http://live.unece.org/trans/maps/un-transport-agreements-and-conventions-03.html

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe