A World Bank report reveals that Albania’s Results-based Road Maintenance and Safety Project achieved a 23% reduction in annual road fatalities on 1,335km of the nation’s busiest primary and secondary roads, saving 68 lives per year. This impressive outcome was achieved by improving the safety of road infrastructure with Star Ratings for all road users jumping by up to 13.8%.

Key improvements on the project roads were:

• Deaths: Down from 295 to 227 per year (-23%)
• Average Star Rating:
  • Vehicle occupants: +7.5% (2.6 to 2.8)
  • Motorcyclists: +8.9% (2.2 to 2.4)
  • Pedestrians: +8.8% (2.0 to 2.2)
  • Bicyclists: +13.8% (2.3 to 2.6)

iRAP Global Programme Director, Greg Smith said, “The World Bank rightly points out that more progress is needed, particularly for vulnerable road users, but this project serves as a model for other countries, demonstrating that significant road safety improvements are possible through innovative maintenance programmes.

“iRAP Star Ratings provide an objective, evidence-based and globally recognised measure of the level of safety that is “built-in” to the road. Linking Star Ratings with results-based financing incentivises road safety success.

“We congratulate the Government of Albania and the World Bank on this project and look forward to ongoing efforts to achieve the UN Global Road Safety Performance Target of ensuring most travel occurs on roads rated 3-stars or better,” Mr Smith said.

The World Bank reports that the Government of Albania’s continued use of performance-based contracts promises even greater safety gains in the future.

For further information on the project, click here.

Image credit: World Bank