Vehicle restraint system improves road worker safety

Initial trials of a vehicle restraint system on the M1 have helped improve the safety of road workers.

The Bam Nuttall Morgan Sindall joint venture is working closely with Asset International VRS, part of the Hill and Smith Group, to develop Varioguard for use in chicane or taper areas.

The company’s temporary vehicle restraint systems are able to accommodate traffic lamps and have alternate red and white covers across the top beam that makes the barrier more conspicuous when used in taper/chicane zones. In return this removes the need for the road worker to maintain traffic cones in the most hazardous areas of roadwork schemes.

The trial on the M1 has shown improved road worker safety by removing the high risk and high cost element of maintaining coned tapers and signage at the entrance to works.