Abertis is the European leader in the sector of infrastructure for mobility and telecommunications with five business areas: motorways, telecommunications infrastructure, airports, car parks and logistics parks. The ongoing process of internationalisation of its activities has enabled the company to be present in 17 countries on three continents and consolidate its position as the European leader in infrastructure management and one of the leaders in this field worldwide. The objective of the 12,500 employees of the group is to fulfil the infrastructure quality requirements for the mobility of people, goods and information on the 3,243 km of motorways in Europe through Abertis Autopistas España and Sanef and the 137,562 car parking spaces that it manages directly.

Abertis is renewing its road safety commitment by carrying out actions on Spanish motorways and French motorways (Sanef).

-   We implement appropriate services and maintenance procedures to preserve and maintain all of the motorway facilities in optimum condition. In order to control and manage the motorways and traffic flows, state-of-the-art technology is being implemented to improve road safety and efficiency:

-   Winter road viability management: exchange of information with border motorway networks.

-   Campaigns will be conducted in service stations in Spain to raise awareness about driving-related risks and encourage drivers to adopt safe behaviour.

-   The “Paso del Estrecho” [Crossing the Strait] operation will facilitate the safe return of North Africans to their countries, with information points in Arabic throughout the network.

-   Information to clients via local broadcasters: from the majority of control centres, information bulletins about the traffic situation will be provided.

-   Publicity in the media about road safety.

-   We will distribute at least one million leaflets annually through our motorway and car park network.

-   Visits to control centres will be conducted to emphasise the importance of responsible behaviour on motorways.

-   New version of the Infotrafic Web map: in the summer of 2009, clients were able to consult www.autopistas.com, a new version of the Web information map of the traffic and road accident situation. The level of detail was increased, making it possible to receive direct images via cameras of the situation in different road sections. This new version will be extended over 2010 to the majority of control centres in the Abertis Autopistas España network.

-   Direct cooperation with the Abertis Foundation in events, research, publications and road safety actions such as “Te queda una vida. No la pierdas en carretera” [You have one life; don’t lose it on the road].

-   www.abertis.com receives 1.4 million visits annually. This website enables access to the road safety activities conducted by the Abertis Foundation.

 

We implement appropriate services and maintenance procedures to preserve and maintain all of the motorway facilities in optimum condition. In order to control and manage the motorways and traffic flows, state-of-the-art technology is being implemented to improve road safety and efficiency:

 

-   The following topics are dealt with via the variable information panels: fatigue, drinking and driving, speeding, staff security on motorways, time, the safety distance between cars, seat belts and the use of mobile phones behind the wheel.

-   Staff safety is dealt with on information panels on motorways and on tollbooth panels.

-   On banderols before road works, the following message is displayed: “Zona de obras, ¡levanto el pie!” [Road works, ease off the accelerator!].

-   At service areas:

 

-   Traffic management: open days at the three control centres during the summer holiday campaign.

-   Launch of the winter campaign at the end of October, with visits to maintenance centres.