Active road studs produced by Rennicks UK have become the first in Europe to be tested to a new draft performance standard – paving the way for installation across the UK network.
The company have achieved full Department for Transport (DfT) type approval for their SR-15 active road studs, which use LED and solar technology to create highly effective highway delineation shown to be far more effective than traditional retro-reflective studs.
And they did so by becoming the first EU company to meet both the existing road stud standard, BS EN1463-2, as well as a new draft standard, prEN1463-3 (Active Road Studs).
The DfT authorisation, which follows a year-long trial, is likely to have far-reaching implications in both Britain and further afield.
It opens a new door to local authorities and management contractors searching for cost-effective and sustainable ways to improve current delineation methods here in the UK.
John Swift, of Rennicks UK, said: “We are the first company in Europe to have a product tested to the new draft standard and it’s a massive achievement.
“It gives authorities and contractors the assurance that our studs will meet all of the requirements laid down by the DfT.
“This is a development that opens up a whole new approach to highway delineation.
“Traditional retro-reflective studs have been something of a default method in the past, but this has given local authorities and management contractors the chance to change their thinking.”
The mandatory 12-month trial, which concluded in December last year, took place on the A1M in Durham thanks to help from management contractors A-one+.
An inspector from the British Standards Institution (BSi) attended during both installation and testing to ensure the studs met both standards.
Stuart Cordier, operations director of A-one+, was pleased with how the trial went and delighted by the results.
He said: “The studs have made a big improvement to a busy stretch of main road. They’ve made it much brighter and also safer by highlighting slow bends.
“It looks good and we’ve received quite a lot of positive feedback from road users, so I think these road studs are the future of highways improvement.”
LED Active Road Studs have been shown to enhance safety and be a more sustainable and economical method of delineation during night-time hours or inclement weather conditions.
Swift added: “With an ever-increasing need to switch off street lights to save energy, safety is paramount and these high-performance studs provide the ideal solution as they’re proven to be visible at a distance of 1km – roughly 10 times that of a traditional retro-reflective stud.”
