|
Brifen Rope Wire Safety Fence |
|
|
|
We recognise that the brifen safety fence is a valuable tool for road
safety. As at August 2001 many sites throughout Australia have had
brifen fences installed in recent years resulting in 225,000 metres of
this wire rope fence in use in the country. Vehicles including trucks
and cars which have come into collision with it have generally been
caught and safely stopped by the fence.
Due to concerns among the motorcylists in
our ranks that the fence may harm motorists we concur with the British
motorcyclists association and support the use of brifen fences only to
prevent crossover collisions. In other words we support the instalation
of the fence on the medium strip not the outside of roads. This is
based on the benefits to road users including motorcyclists of
preventing crossovers and the rarity of motorcycle involvement in
crossover crashes.
To date in this country there has been 1 recorded
motorcycle casualty resulting from a collision with a safety fence and
no fatalities. Fences are generally installed on the median strip
rather than the road side. In recent years up to 70 motorcyclists per
year have died after driving off the road and hitting a roadside object
or crossing over the road and hitting an oncoming vehicle. (source:
ATSB) We urge state governments to urgently investigate and implement
capping of the fences to protect cyclists in accordance with German
practice so that they can be safely used on the roadside. |
National Motorists Association Australia 
