What a fantastic week at IRF2024 in Istanbul where safe road designs, the Ten Step Plan for Safer Road Infrastructure, securing commitments to transform the safety of roads by 2030, and celebrating partner success were under the spotlight.

The IRF World Congress was held from 14-18 October in Istanbul with the theme ‘Connecting to Empower Mobility: Roads as Enablers of a Sustainable Future for All’. The Congress attracted more than 2,000 participants from 80 countries including governments, industry (road construction, ITS, concessionaires, toll operators and consulting firms), academia, development banks and financing institutions, technology providers, the UN Regional Commissions and civil society organisations.

Programme

The event agenda included plenary and special sessions, seven parallel tracks, technical sessions, an Open Stage Cafe and exhibition. View the day-by-day programme here.

Enjoy our programme highlights video:

MINISTERIAL MEETING DRAWS HIGH LEVEL FOCUS

A Ministerial Meeting convened ministers from 30 countries and leading transport organisations at the highest level focussed on driving transformative change by embracing innovation and collaboration. iRAP was delighted to present to Ministers on the essential role safer 3-star or better road infrastructure will play in achieving the global goal of halving road deaths and injuries by 2030.

iRAP SPECIAL SESSIONS

IRAP Practical Skills Training: Designs to achieve Global Road Safety Targets

Road designers and engineers from 24 countries attended the practical training focussed on safe road design, a cornerstone for sustainable mobility and resilient infrastructure. The session included hands-on use of tools that can help achieve UN Global Road Safety Performance Target 3, including the newly released enhanced Star Rating for Designs Web App. Dominic Waterhouse, Civil Engineer from Arup Perth shared the Tonkin Highway Extension Project Case Study.

The Ten Step Plan for Safer Road Infrastructure (Hosted by iRAP, IRF and PIARC)

The Ten Step Plan for Safer Road infrastructure was produced by the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration (UNRSC) partners to support countries seeking to improve road infrastructure safety. It provides a framework to build the institutional capacity, partnerships and regulatory framework in countries. Tanzania was the first nation in the world to implement the Ten Step Plan, and with the support of a grant from the UNRSF, local and international partners will soon begin a second Ten Step Plan project in Senegal. The Plan offers a template that can be adopted by any country and implemented in a way that matches the specific local context and needs. See the session programme and speakers here.

High-level Roundtable: Shaping the Future of Road Designs for Safe and Sustainable Mobility (Hosted by iRAP and IRF)

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set a target to halve road deaths and injuries globally by 2030, and safe road design will be a linchpin for achieving this target and safer, more sustainable and resilient infrastructure. The Global Plan for the Decade of Action on Road Safety recommends undertaking star ratings and road safety audits on all designs to ensure a minimum standard of three stars or better for all road users, emphasising the need for speed management and investment. The roundtable convened leaders in road infrastructure development to share best practices, strategies, and ongoing projects, along with roadblocks and opportunities to elevate safety in road design globally. It sought to align priorities on safe road design as we head toward the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Morocco (February 2025), accelerating progress towards achieving the SDGs.

Jamie Leather, Head of the Transport Sector, Asian Development Bank (ADB) moderated the stimulating discussion with representatives from ALEATICA, Arup, FIA Foundation, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), iRAP, ADB, ORIS, World Bank, PIARC, Youth for Road Safety (YOURS), European Investment Bank (EIB), IRF and AMEND. See the session programme and speakers here.

PARTNER PRESENTATIONS / OTHER SESSIONS SUPPORTED

• Closed Meeting (by Invitation): Developing an Enabling Environment for Private Sector Finance and Impact Investment for Safer Roads.
• PPPs, Road Pricing, Procurement for better Transport and Mobility Antonio Pinilla, ALEATICA
• Innovation in design for safety: The Tonkin Highway Extension Dom Waterhouse, Arup
• The potential of using a road risk assessment methodology to monitor and evaluate the progress of performance-based maintenance contracts: The case study of Albania Edoardo Mazzia, FRED Engineering
• A human rights-based approach for promotion of inclusive and safe urban transport – Case study of Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) Dhaka North Project in Bangladesh Edoardo Mazzia, FRED Engineering
• Innovative results-based financing platforms for infrastructure and road safety investment Greg Smith, iRAP
• AiRAP – Star Rating every road on earth through the accelerated and intelligent coding of iRAP attributes worldwide James Bradford, iRAP
• The Route Review Tool: User-friendly solutions to plan road investments for safety James Bradford, iRAP
• Safe and Inclusive Road Design in Central Asia Julio Urzua, iRAP
• First deployment of a preventive road safety methodology in Oman: a shared step for the Oman Vision 2040 and Vision Zero Majid Alrashdi, Petroleum Development Oman
• Redefining bicycle network assessment with evidence-based methods leveraging AI techniques and predictive tools Marc Figuls, FACTUAL
• Enhancing Autonomous Vehicle Safety Through Real-Time iRAP Star Rating Assessments Using LiDAR and Computer Vision Integration Marko Sevrovic, EIRA
• Australian Road Owners Embrace Big Data to Support Better Decision Making Michael Caltabiano, NTRO
• Safe Infrastructure for Walking and Cycling: Case Studies from Six Countries Monica Olyslagers, iRAP
• Technology for rural roads: A social programme for equitable and balanced development Nicolas Miravalls, ORIS
• Route safety treatments for the all-purpose trunk road network Phil Brunson, Arup
• Large-Scale Investment for Safety: Shaanxi Mountain Road Safety Demonstration Project Rebecca Stapleton, ADB
• Comprehensive Road Safety Strategy for Tunisia: A Framework for Sustainable Transportation (2023-2034) Richard Owen, Agilysis
• An assessment of novel data sources and AI techniques to assess vehicle speeds in Low and Middle Income Countries Richard Owen, Agilysis
• Enhancing cyclist safety: Predictive analysis of injury severity and advocacy for evidence-based interventions Stella Roussou, NTUA

Awarding Road Safety Excellence

The Asian Development Bank (ADB), Shaanxi Provincial Transport Department, iRAP, and the China Road Assessment Program (ChinaRAP) at the Research Institute of Highway (RIOH) were honoured to be awarded IRF’s Rural Roads and Mobility Award for the life-saving Shaanxi Mountain Road Safety Demonstration Project.

#SaferRoadsPledge

A number of attending delegates took the opportunity to Pledge for Safer Roads and Mobility ahead of the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety. If you’d like to join the Pledge, click here.

iRAP Partner Dinner

The IRF Congress provided a special opportunity to further celebrate iRAP partners’ success (in-person) saving almost 700,000 deaths and serious injuries in 74 countries since 2016, verified in Johns Hopkins University research, published in PLOS One. MUST Nisantasi provided a beautiful location for the celebration.

Hear from our Team on the Ground

Read the Associated Media Releases

• New Enhanced Tool for Safer Road Design Unveiled
• Shaanxi Mountain Road Safety Project wins IRF Global Award

For more Information

• To see how iRAP partners are working to make roads safer worldwide, click here.
• To discuss how we can support partners with the free tools, training and support to make their roads safer, contact our Regional Safer Journeys Leads – Olivera Rozi (Europe) on email olivera.rozi@irap.org; Edgar Zamora (The Americas) edgar.zamora@irap.org; Nathalie Chiavassa (Africa) nathalie.chiavassa@irap.org; and Greg Smith (Asia Pacific) greg.smith@irap.org

Images and videos credit: iRAP