Upgrades needed to prevent Australian tunnel deaths
8 February 2013A coroner has called for safety upgrades to new road tunnels across Australia to prevent fatal crashes such as the March 2007 Burnley Tunnel crash that killed three people, local news reported last week.
Victorian Judge Jennifer Coate recommended a number of safety initiatives to be used in the country's road tunnels, including the installation of emergency lanes or bays, and a ban on changing lanes. Victorian Transport Minister Terry Mulder stated that some of the changes could be implemented in future tunnels across the state.
However, Western Australia is about to remove emergency lanes to make room for more drivers, while in NSW emergency stopping bays are already in use within major tunnels. WA's main roads spokesman Dean Roberts told local newspaper that it had always been intended that the emergency lane from the Northbridge Tunnel in Perth would be removed to create an extra road lane.
