Developing public safety relations in large public infrastructure tunnels

摘要

The tunnel accidents in the Alp tunnels have shown that the system of individual tunnels is always bigger than assumed. Even accidents that actually have nothing to do with tunnels, but evoke associations with the tunnel fires, stir up the feeling that tunnels are unsafe. Possible effects thereof are the creation or reinforcement of the negative perception that tunnels are dangerous, extreme demands on tunnel safety and maybe even demands that tunnels be closed. These effects are undesirable, as many tunnels are actually very safe and provided with high-quality safety provisions. As more tunnels will be needed in the future to facilitate increasing mobility and urbanisation, it is important to prevent an unnecessarily negative perception of tunnels and preferably to work towards a more positive perception, and to ensure that there is sufficient confidence in the underground infrastructure.