Highway & Network Management

UK-based SRL Traffic Systems has purchased 100 mobile variable message signs from Swarco under an agreement to boost the fleet to 500 rental units. The value of the deal at around US$2.9 million is a significant development for the UK market, said Swarco. SRL is also a manufacturer of portable and temporary traffic lights. The solar-powered signs are equipped with energy efficient LEDs capable of displaying full-colour text and images with no restrictions. SRL will be managing the signs via Swarco’s in

Meteorological specialist, Biral, is introducing its new BTD-200 Lightning Warning System. This system is said to be a complete detection and warning package, which has been developed from the Biral range of professional aviation grade lightning detection systems. It can detect reliably the local presence of all forms of lightning out to a range of 35km from the sensor. Designed to be installed and set up by non-technical staff, it comes with a power supply and the essential PC application ‘Lightnin

The Netherlands is evaluating new options for road tolling across the country’s network. A national road pricing scheme could be introduced from 2026, which would see road users being charged by the distance they travel. There is widespread recognition that the existing method, of using fuel taxation to pay for road works, is unsustainable as the EV fleet grows. Three options are being analysed. One would see drivers of electric vehicles being charged/km, while internal combustion engine vehicles would cont

For the fourth consecutive year, Norway has topped traffic safety in the Europe Union as reported by the European Traffic Safety Council (ETSC). In 2018, the number of persons killed on Norwegian roads was 20 per million inhabitants. Next lowest was Switzerland with 27 per million inhabitants, followed by the UK with 30. Romania was the worst country with 96 killed per million inhabitants, followed by Bulgaria with 87 and Serbia with 78. The EU average was 49. Norway had 108 persons were killed in

Raising the motorway speed limit in Norway to 120kph could mean four deaths annually, according to research by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens vegvesen). It could also cost up to €504 million to build or upgrade 460km of motorways to withstand the wear and tear caused by having a 120kph limit. State Secretary Tommy Skjervold said that the government will analyse the research before making a final decision about raising or not the speed limit on some motorways. Norway has some of

Flir says that it has upgraded its thermal traffic sensor and detector with traffic data collection features. The company says ThermiCam2 uses thermal energy emitted from road users – rather than light - to detect vehicles and vulnerable road users at night, over long distances and in harsh weather conditions. According to Flir, the solution can be used to detect vehicles and bicycles approaching an intersection, detect wrong-way drivers, count and distinguish vehicles from bicycles and collect traff

The system increases facility efficiency by accurately weighing vehicles travelling up to 15km/h. Coupled with the 4.14m-wide weighbridge, nearly any vehicle, including those with a wide load or trailer, can be quickly screened. Intercomp says its weigh-in-motion LS630-WIM system is ideal for high traffic volumes at temporary facilities to monitor axle weight or GVW (gross vehicle weight) compliance. Additionally, the portable system can be used at multiple locations as two people can deploy or stow the s

Curtin University in Perth, Australia, is rolling out more Actibumps for slowing traffic after what is says has been a successful trial of four systems. “We expected the same effect as in Sweden,” said David Eskilsson, general manager at Edeva, the Actibump manufacturer based in Linkoping. “But the decrease in the percentage of speeding drivers from over 70% of all drivers in January to below 25% in October last year on the most difficult site has been better than even we expected.” In January 2018 Curtin