Evacuation aids

In certain situations (notably in the event of fire), users will take the decision to evacuate the tunnel. This decision may be spontaneous or may follow evacuation instructions provided by the tunnel operator. More often than not, this evacuation phase will occur before operator personnel or external rescue services have arrived on site. 

In addition to signage that helps users to identify emergency exits, two other means of guidance are implemented to help users reach the nearest exit:

• Signs indicating the direction and the distance to the nearest emergency exit, in both directions.
• Low-level evacuation lighting located on the side walls, in the form of marker lights, which guide users when smoke from a fire masks the overhead lighting.

 This chapter is divided into four pages:

• Evacuation route signs
• Low-level evacuation lighting
• Cross-bore doors and signs
• Sound beacons