On May 10th 2017, NTU organized a large scale consultation workshop in Pakistan with more than 100 high-level participants, concerning the modernization of transport infrastructure and greater regional connectivity. The consultation is organized by the Pakistani Ministry of Communication, as part of the $15.4 million project under the Pakistan Economic Corridors Programme (PECP), administered by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID).
Entitled “Towards an Effective Partnership for Safer Road Travel”, the workshop brought together major transport sector federal and provincial stakeholders with a view to agreeing the necessary milestones towards the implementation of a National Road Safety Strategy and Plan. The programme is not limited to focus only on major roads or highways, but applies for all national road network, including provincial roads and even unsurfaced mountain tracks. The specific objective of the Technical Assistance, provided by NTU, is to improve the safety of the road network in Pakistan in order to materially achieve a reduction in the number of fatalities and casualties, thus improving the quality of life in the country.
The implementation of a National Road Safety Strategy and Plan will cover all aspects of road safety and be built around the 5 “Pillars of Road Safety” as espoused in the UN/WHO Decade of Action, namely
- Improved road safety management
- Safer Roads
- Safer Drivers
- Safer Vehicles
- Improved Post-Crash Response
Crucial to its implementation will be the creation of a Road Safety Executive with powers to regulate such aspects as driving tuition and testing, vehicle registration and testing, increased levels of enforcement, and highway design standards. The TA project will ensure that the national road safety program is effectively implemented by 2020.