FRED Engineering and Factual are partnering with Portugal’s National Road Safety Authority (ANSR) to deliver a 6,965km network-wide road safety assessment across the country’s strategic road network.
The six-month project represents an important step in Portugal’s implementation of the European Union’s Road Infrastructure Safety Management (RISM) Directive and adoption of the globally recognised iRAP methodology to support evidence-based investment in safer roads.
The contract, Acquisition of Services for Updating the Network-wide Road Safety Assessment, will assess Portugal’s Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), motorways and primary road network using proactive road infrastructure risk assessment.
As part of the project, FRED Engineering and Factual will:
- Collect and validate road infrastructure safety data across the national network for proactive risk analysis.
- Apply the iRAP methodology, combining proactive road infrastructure risk indicators with historical crash data supplied by ANSR.
- Classify the road network into risk bands to prioritise safety improvements.
- Deliver training to ANSR technical staff on the iRAP methodology and ViDA.
- Prepare technical documentation to support Portugal’s reporting obligations to the European Commission under the RISM Directive.
iRAP Safer Journeys Lead for Europe Olivera Rozi welcomed the announcement.
“We congratulate ANSR, FRED Engineering and Factual on the commencement of this significant project in Portugal. It is encouraging to see iRAP Accredited partners supporting governments across Europe to implement the RISM Directive supported by the iRAP Methodology.
“By combining Star Rating and Risk Mapping assessments informed by local crash data, Portugal will be better equipped to identify high-risk roads, prioritise investment where it will have the greatest impact, and ultimately save lives,” Ms Rozi said.
The project demonstrates the value of the iRAP methodology and ViDA software to support road authorities proactively assess road safety risk, meet legislative requirements, and support the EU road safety policy framework and Vision Zero ambition to eliminate road deaths and serious injuries by 2050, with an interim target of halving them by 2030.
The project will build on partner-led iRAP activity that has assessed 10,111 km of roads and designs, and 12 schools. Portugal is also one of five European countries involved in the 2025-2027 Connected and Adaptive Maintenance for Safer Urban and Secondary Roads (CAMBER) Project funded by the European Union and UKRI.
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