Newsletter August 2021

Newsletter of The New Zealand Roadmarkers Federation Inc.

Roadmarking News www.nzrf.co.nz Edition 150 August 2021

Austroads Research Report AP-R633-20 Implications of Pavement Markings for Machine Vision NZRF Executive Committee members Chris Bradley and Dominic Elder will meet with Transport Minister Hon Michael Wood on the 17th August 2021. Among the matters discussed will be roadmarking requirements for Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems.

While the path to level 5 fully autonomous vehicles is somewhat uncertain, a growing range of vehicles already available in the market offer automatedsteering functions enabled by Advanced DriverAssistance Systems (ADAS). Their performance depends on the vehicle’s technology and the environment where they are used. Currently an estimated 50% of all new vehicles have ADAS and that percentage is increasing rapidly.

The purpose of this report is to outline how longitudinal pavement markings affect automated steering functions and what if any the changes to current design and maintenance practices could be made to improve the support lane markings for advanced drivers assistance systems and in the future automated vehicles.

Key findings;  A minimum 3-to-1 contrast ratio (Qd) between longitudinal pavement markings and the surrounding substrate is generally supported by most machine-vision systems in most environmental conditions.

 On-road trials found that machine-vision systems can read an 𝑅𝐿 contrast ratio for night-time visibility of between 5-to-1 and 10-to-1 between pavement markings and the surrounding substrate.  Pavement ‘brightness’ can degrade machine-vision systems’ ability to detect longitudinal pavement markings in some conditions because it reduces contrast between the pavement marking and the substrate.  Testing generally supports the current harmonised standard widths of 150 mm for edge lines and 100 mm for dashed lines.  Dashed lines are more likely than solid lines to be difficult for machine-vision lane detection.  Using clear continuity lines on both sides of the lane, with no extended gaps and a consistent lane width, is conducive to good lane detection, e.g., at exit ramps and intersections.  Many of the recent harmonisation design standards meet or exceed machine-vision requirements.  While many difficult-to-control factors can degrade the machine-vision-system’s ability to detect longitudinal pavement markings, improving maintenance standards and design principles can generate significant network-wide gains.  A cost-benefit analysis found that when longitudinal pavement markings are improved, the potential discounted crash benefits exceed the discounted capital and maintenance costs by 3.28 benefits-to-costs ratio.

Key recommendations in the project include; Road agencies support the standards in Harmonisation of Pavement Markings and National Pavement Marking Specification (Austroads, 2018a), particularly line width and Qd/𝑅𝐿 intervention levels.  That road agencies improve design guidelines for continuity lines, exit ramps and intersections, to also consider the needs of

Published by: The New Zealand Roadmarkers Federation Inc. P O Box 13 605 Onehunga Auckland 1643 New Zealand Email: admin@nzrf.co.nz Roadmarking News in published by The NZ Roadmarkers Federation Inc. Opinions expressed in Roadmarking News do not necessarily reflect the views of the NZRF

machine-vision-enabled, lane-guidance functions.  That individual state or local agencies consider improving longitudinal pavement markings (and potentially pavement widths) to support automated and non-automated vehicles.  That road agencies consider the following maintenance practices: – halt the practice of mixing yellow and white pavement markings on construction sites – improve the brightness and/or quality of dashed lines compared to solid lines.

– improve minimum standards for removing redundant markings and manage pavement surface and pavement re-sheeting to minimise any adverse effects on lane keep assist systems.

– measure and model pavement-marking asset conditions, considering key factors such as pavement marking material, vehicle volumes and heavy vehicle percentages, to attract road safety funding.

– improve current maintenance-monitoring regimes to ensure higher confidence in cost and benefit estimates, and to assist potential funding of line marking maintenance.

Implications for New Zealand  Validate a correlation between contrast ratios and our more usual retroreflectivity (night time) and luminance (daytime) values.  Move to increase edgelines to 150mm.  Move to increase retroreflectivity values in line with Australian harmonisation standard of 150mcd. This standard currently only applies to high performance markings (P 30) usually audio tactile pavement markings and structured markings. This is likely to be achieved with the use of HR glass beads.  Review the use of yellow on no overtaking lines.  Review the adequacy of using 3m dashes and 7m gaps for centre lines, given that detection of a continuous line is better than dashed lines.  Review the use of reflectorised or non reflectorised pavement markers (US “Botts dots”) as motorway lane dividers. From 2017 these are being replaced by lines by CalTrans to cater for AV requirements. If the RPM continue to be used then it may be desirable to install them over a solid line.

 Review the Traffic Control Devices Manual formats for continuity dots at off ramps and through intersections. (Off ramps are the recommended treatment).  Review the Traffic Control Devices Manual formats for merges, as some have the lane markings stopping from the point where two lanes reduce to one, while others have continuity markings that run to the edgeline.  Review the Traffic Control Devices Manual formats for lane widths, marking of over width roads and gores.  Review the requirements for recalibration of cameras and other devices following windscreen replacements or other impact damage.

Sources Austroads Webinar on the Research Report APR633-20 Implications of Pavement Markings for Machine Vision Austroads Publication No. AP-R633-20 Implications of Pavement Markings for Machine Vision Austroads Publication No. AP R578 18 Harmonisation of Pavement Markings and National Pavement Marking Specification

People asked to have their say on SH1 Ōtaki to Levin improvements Transport officials are asking for feedback about proposed safety improvements around Ōtaki and Levin, and speed limits on State Highway 1.

Seven people lost their lives and 28 people were seriously injured on SH1 between Ōtaki and Levin from 2016 to 2020.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Director of Regional Relationships Linda Stewart said the planned improvements on SH1 included painted wide centrelines, side and median barriers, and a new roundabout at the SH1 and SH57 intersection.

Some safety improvements had already been installed in Manakau and Ōhau.

She said the improvements were part of the Ōtaki to north of Levin programme of works.

Regional Manager Maintenance and Operations Mark Owen says that increasing safety for pedestrians in the Wairarapa is a key focus for Waka Kotahi.

Waka Kotahi would continue to work on delivering the new 24-kilometre four-lane highway to the east of the existing SH1 within the next decade.

“We are committed to Vision Zero, a vision for New Zealand where no one is killed or seriously injured on our roads. We want everyone who uses our roads to get to where they’re going safely,” Mr Owen says.

“When the new highway is open, SH1 will continue to connect communities and be an important local road.In the meantime, traffic volumes on this stretch of SH1 will remain high, so we are focused on improving safety for both local and through traffic.”

“State Highway 2 between Masterton and Featherston is a busy stretch of road, with lots of different people using it, including many pedestrians in the towns along the highway.

The agency wanted to find out what people thought of the proposed changes, as well as the current speed limits on SH1, between Taylors Rd in Ōtaki and just beyond Kawiu Rd north of Levin.

“We have identified 21 locations for raised pedestrian crossings along State Highways 2 and 53 which will significantly improve safety for pedestrians. International research shows that raised pedestrian crossings reduce deaths and serious injuries by about 40 percent.

“Even when speed doesn’t cause the crash, it’s what will most likely determine whether you or someone you love is killed, injured, or walks away unharmed from that crash.”

Stewart said the state highway was busy and had two high-risk intersections, so it was important the speed limits reflected the risk on the road.

Feedback would help officials decide to make the proposed speed limit changes, where any new speed limits would begin or end, and if other safety improvements were needed.

The public engagement period Wednesday August 11 2021.

Construction of raised platforms underway

runs

until

pedestrian

Waka Kotahi is making State Highway 2 in the Wairarapa safer for pedestrians, with construction underway on the first three of a planned 21 raised pedestrian crossings between Masterton and Featherston.

The work is part of the Road To Zero strategy developed in partnership with NZ Police, Ministry of Transport, local government and WorkSafe that adopts Vision Zero and sets a target to reduce deaths and serious injuries on New Zealand’s roads, cycleways and footpaths by 40 percent by 2030.

“The crossings are the first part of a comprehensive safety programme in the Wairarapa between Masterton and Featherston, which also includes proposed roundabouts and barriers, and a review of the speed limits.

“Each of these safety interventions will work together to improve the safety for everyone who uses State Highway 2, whether they be pedestrians, cyclists or motorists.”

Local insight sought for SH30 Tikitere to Whakatane speed review People from Tikitere to Whakatāne are being asked to share their local insights, as Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency continues to review speed limits on state highways around the region.

State Highway 30 between Tikitere and Whakatāne in Eastern Bay of Plenty is the latest state highway to come under the spotlight, after being identified

as a road where safer speed limits could make a big difference in preventing deaths and serious injuries.

Waka Kotahi Director of Regional Relationships David Speirs says between 2010 and 2019, 10 people died and 73 were seriously injured on this road.

“We’re working toward a future where no-one is killed or seriously injured in road crashes in Aotearoa New Zealand,” he said.

“Lots of change is needed to get us there but there is one thing we can do that will make a huge difference immediately – making speeds safer on our roads.

“The speed of a vehicle at impact is the single biggest factor in determining whether you or someone you love walks away from a crash.”

Mr Speirs says Waka Kotahi has heard concerns from people in the community about the speeds people are travelling on SH30 between Tikitere and Whakatāne.

school in certain areas, and if there are any other sites or information that we need to be particularly aware of,” Mr Speirs says.

“Reviewing speed limits is something we can do now to prevent avoidable deaths and help us achieve our Road to Zero target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads by 40 percent over the next 10 years.”

New report details road safety outcomes for Māori In another step towards achieving the vision of an Aotearoa New Zealand where no one is killed or seriously injured in road crashes, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has today released He Pūrongo Whakahaumaru Huarahi Mō Ngā Iwi Māori (the Māori Road Safety Outcomes Report).

Me mahi tahi tatou mo te oranga o te katoa We must work together for the wellbeing of all Waka Kotahi Senior Manager Māori, Nicholas Manukau, says the development of He Pūrongo has grown from a key priority of New Zealand’s Road to Zero strategy—to support initiatives to improve Māori road safety.

“The Road to Zero strategy sets an interim target to reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads by 40 percent by 2030. It provides an outline of how we will approach road safety challenges over the next decade and hold ourselves to account to save lives and meaningfully reduce trauma. A key action within Road to Zero is to better understand and improve road safety outcomes for Māori.

“Engaging with the community helps us get feedback and local knowledge on how people feel about current speeds in the area, including on roads around their local school, marae, business or workplace.”

This information helps when deciding if a speed limit change is the best thing to improve road safety, where new speed limits might begin or end, and if any other safety improvements might be needed. The feedback also helps determine if and what speed limit changes will be formally consulted on.

“We’d like people to tell us about places that are hard to get to or from, how safe they feel crossing the highway or letting their children walk or cycle to

“We take a Safe System approach to road safety and by making roads and roadsides, speeds, vehicles and road use safer, we are working to reduce deaths and injuries for everyone travelling on Aotearoa roads. The changes we make across the transport system will improve safety for everyone, but we know we need to do more to support better outcomes for Māori. We are on a path to learn how we can do this in partnership with iwi Māori.

“Sadly, the research completed for the first phase of He Pūrongo confirms that Māori are overrepresented in serious road crashes, experiencing higher rates of death and serious injuries than the general population.”

Particular areas of concern highlighted by the report include the over-representation in fatal and serious injury crashes of young Māori men, underlicensed driving, non-use of seatbelts and child restraints, and driving while impaired.

Hapaitia te ara tika pumau ai te rangatiratanga mo nga uri whakatipu.

Foster the pathway of knowledge to strength, independence and growth for future generations.

He Pūrongo and the summary document

Due to limitations in the existing data and research, the report primarily looks at road user (human) factors. Importantly, the report also identifies where there are gaps in our knowledge that need to be addressed in partnership with Māori. These gaps include the potential influence of factors such as purpose of travel, road function, location type and speed limits on crashes involving Māori.

Nelson south's street innovations get green light for phase two The second and final phase of a controversial road trial in Nelson south which introduced innovations such as four-way stops and generated debate, commenced in June.

“The findings of He Pūrongo provide an evidencebased foundation for further targeted research to be undertaken, to inform discussions with road safety partners, and to support the development of partnerships with Māori to agree on the steps to support better road safety outcomes for Māori,” Mr Manukau says.

Phase 2 of the Nelson City Council's Innovating Streets project began from mid-June, with the focus this time around on making the area safer and more user-friendly for walking and cycling.

“We are committed to partnering with Iwi Māori to better understand the risks identified in the report and we will work together to determine how to best improve road safety outcomes with Māori. Through building relationships, we can work together to codesign culturally relevant road safety initiatives based on specific communities’ wishes and needs.

Once we have an agreed way forward, we can then look at how we can support Iwi to introduce and maintain the initiatives in their communities.”

These measures include footpath widening on Boundary Rd and outside Nelson Intermediate School, installing a bike repair station in front of Nelson Intermediate, a pollinator park at the Tipahi St corner connecting to the Railway Reserve, and further traffic-calming measures on all three streets.

The changes are being trialled on Kawai St South, Boundary Rd and Tipahi St.

As part of the Road to Zero strategy, Waka Kotahi (NZ Transport Agency), Ngā Pirihimana o Aotearoa (NZ Police) and Te Manatū Waka (Ministry of Transport), are working together to improve our understanding of road safety outcomes for Māori, and building relationships to identify actions that will improve the safety and wellbeing of Māori communities.

Superintendent Steve Greally, Director of the National Road Policing says “Police recognises the importance of this work and the intent to more fully engage with Māori in a meaningful and futurefocused way. Safe travel should be something all road users enjoy, and Police takes its responsibilities very seriously as a good partner in realising that aspiration.”

The next steps in this journey may be challenging, but Waka Kotahi and our partners are committed to doing better for Māori, making sure that people are getting home safe and sound to their whānau, hapu and iwi.

Funded by Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency, the first phase of the trial introduced fourway stops and traffic-calming measures such as planter boxes on the road to reduce speeds and prevent “rat-running” on the targeted roads. These are currently still in place and continue to be monitored by the council.

The trial was brought about following a call from a group of residents and the local kindergarten concerned with the speed and volume of vehicles travelling through Nelson south during peak traffic hours.

Council research indicated the trial was successful in reducing both traffic speed and volume, although some residents were not enamoured with the changes.

Earlier in May, the council team responsible for the project were awarded the 3M Traffic Safety Innovation Award for 2021 at the Engineering NZ Transportation Group’s annual conference in Auckland.

Transportation Group National Chair Bridget Burdett said the Nelson South project demonstrated “a quick, effective and innovative approach to improving safety in residential areas”, with real benefits that could be applied to residential areas in other parts of New Zealand.

At a meeting of the Nelson City Council’s infrastructure committee, committee chairman Councillor Brian McGurk said council staff had delivered “an outstanding project with stunning results”.

Alistair Woodward is a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Auckland with a focus on public health and climate change. He has been leading research into the increasing weight of our vehicle stock and the risks this poses.

Utes cause more pollution, more traffic congestion and more dangerous driving, he says.

Federated Farmers has protested that the heavier vehicles needed by farmers and tradespeople are not currently available as electrically powered vehicles. The levies will come in on January 1 2022, but heavy electric vehicles could be four years away.

However, Woodward said utes were proliferating on New Zealand roads and so was the damage they caused.

Utes and SUVs emit 1.5 times more carbon dioxide - and Woodward said they were becoming increasingly popular, even as concerns about climate change skyrocketed.

“Council set a very clear governance direction that we want our streets and our city to be peoplefriendly and safe. This work can be hard and challenging, which reinforces the need to involve our communities and bring them along with us in implementing the sorts of things we want.

Utes “bigger than ever” Professor Alistair Woodward on the 'super-sizing' of the urban light truck in NZ In June the Government announced a levy on new utes to help pay for subsidies for electric vehicles.

Four of the top 10 best-selling new vehicles in New Zealand in 2020 were double cab utes. Yet 10 years ago neither utes or SUVs featured among our bestselling vehicles. In a time of urgent attention to climate change how did it come to this?

"Fast food servings have got bigger than ever, the average New Zealand house has 50 per cent more space than it did 20 years ago, our vehicles are super-sizing as well - they're all putting on weight.

"The double cab ute seems to stand out as a particularly obvious example. New Zealand's vehicle buying trends tended to follow those in the United States ‘, he said.

Light trucks started out in the United States being used mostly for farming or trade purposes, but Woodward said aggressive marketing had seen these heavy vehicles being adopted for family transport. "That's what it's mostly used for now."

A University of Auckland survey found two-thirds of ute and van trips on the city's roads were for nonwork purposes and 20 percent were for shopping.

"Utes are being used in ways that they were not designed for. A lot of the ute capacity is not used underused utility really," Woodward said. "That's inefficient and... hazardous and it's damaging for the environment."

Only a minority of the utes and vans observed on Auckland roads appeared to be commercial vehicles, about three out of 300 utes were towing something, while a quarter had bullbars or nudgebars on the front. "There are not too many kangaroos or bulls in Ponsonby, but there are plenty of utes with bullbars."

The problem was that bullbars caused more severe injuries when a vehicle hit a person, he said. "In Auckland, the number of pedestrians that are killed or seriously injured each year is rising. "Almost twothirds of the injured road users in Auckland are either pedestrians, cyclists or motorcyclists, so the safety of people using the street under their own power is a big issue."

about alternatives to super big utes - how big is too big?"

Some utes in New Zealand weighed two and a half tonnes and Americans were driving utes weighing three and a half tonnes that would no doubt soon hit New Zealand shores, he said.

"At what point do we say the balance is tipping here and we really need to find ways of encouraging and supporting alternative forms of transport, particularly in the city?"

New roundabout hotspot

reshapes

collision

If you’re driving to or through the Far North your journey will now be much safer thanks to the completion of a roundabout replacing a notoriously dangerous intersection at Puketona Junction.

Studies of driver behaviour show people change when they get behind the wheel of a large vehicle.

People driving big vehicles tend to drive faster, take more risks on corners and were more likely to drive while their judgement was impaired by drugs and alcohol, he said.

"You're more detached from your environment, because you're higher up, because you've got a bigger car around you, because you've got a bigger cab in front of you. "If you're more isolated from your environment, then you don't necessarily respond in the same way as if you're more intimately connected with the environment and more aware of the people around you."

When hybrid and electric utes come onto the market, they will have lower environmental impacts. However, they would still take up more road space and cause more serious injuries, Woodward said.

"Fully electric utes will be even heavier than diesel or electric powered ones and therefore from a hazard point of view, they will be an even greater concern."

He said it was important to give people choices, but the consequences had to be weighed up.

"The increasing size of the vehicle fleet has consequences... it's pollution, it's climate, it's risk to other people, it's snarling up traffic and getting in the way of urban efficiency. "It's a case of thinking

“This project has been delivered on time and under budget and will immediately make a difference to Northlanders by saving the lives of people who live and travel in the region and also reduce road closures due to crashes, helping to build a more reliable transport network,” says Andy Thackwray Waka Kotahi National Manager Infrastructure Delivery.

“Improving the resilience across our state highways will also provide a boost to tourism with a greatly improved user experience for those travelling the Twin Coast Discovery Route and on to the Bay of Islands.”

The junction at Puketona sits along the main route to the Bay of Islands and Far North coastal communities and has long been considered hazardous, with the intersection claiming the lives of two women in 2016 after a collision involving a vehicle that had turned into the wrong lane.

The new roundabout allows people to safely navigate the area whether they’re turning towards

Kawakawa, Paihia or Kerikeri. It will also improve the journey for traffic to and from the historical treaty grounds at Waitangi.

“Waka Kotahi made the decision to build a temporary road to be able to build the roundabout away from traffic. This allowed our crews to work more efficiently and keep road users moving,” says Andy Thackwray.

The project was delivered by Waka Kotahi with funding from the regional package of the New Zealand Upgrade Programme.

“This is a complex area and the regulations will no doubt need to be adjusted and tuned over time but it will give a good foundation to start from as New Zealand moves towards a greener vehicle fleet.”

The emissions levels that have been set for when imported vehicles will attract a penalty are pragmatic and will mean increased costs for highemission vehicles but will leave a good range of vehicles with no penalties available as well.

Good mix of carrot and stick in clean car package - AA

The measures will bring New Zealand in line with many other countries around the world in terms of incentivising buyers towards lower-emissions vehicles and it will be interesting to see what impact this has on the market in the years ahead.

The Government’s actions to increase New Zealand’s uptake of low-emissions vehicles announced in July is a well-balanced and positive package, says the AA.

Utes like the Hilux and Ranger have been some of the biggest selling vehicles in New Zealand in recent years but they will face about an extra $3,000 penalty from 2022.

The measures will introduce rebates of thousands of dollars for those purchasing new or used electric or hybrid vehicles from July 1, add a levy to higheremitting vehicles like utes when they are imported from 1 January 2022 and advances plans for New Zealand to use more biofuels to reduce emissions from internal combustion engine vehicles.

The AA strongly welcomes the Government’s discussion document on how New Zealand can advance our use of biofuels as we see these playing a key role in greening the fleet.

“We want to see the Government investing to accelerate biofuels, and other low or no carbon options. New Zealanders will be driving internal combustion cars for well beyond the next decade and biofuels have the potential to meaningfully reduce the emissions from those vehicles,” says Simon.

Greater Christchurch Partnership releases Interim Mass Rapid Transit Report

A feature of the rebate scheme that the AA was very pleased to see was that it will be linked with safety and cars will need to have at least a 3-star safety rating to be eligible.

“Reducing emissions from transport is going to take a mix of actions for new vehicles, used vehicles and the fuels that vehicles already on our roads run on and this package from the Government takes good steps on all fronts,” says AA Policy and Research Manager Simon Douglas.

“Including used vehicles and hybrids will help broaden the impact of the scheme and it’s good that vehicles with low safety ratings won’t be eligible for the rebate.

The Greater Christchurch Partnership has released an Interim Report from the team investigating a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system for Greater Christchurch.

Speaking on behalf of the Partnership, Mayor of Christchurch Lianne Dalziel said the interim results help us understand the feasibility of some mass rapid transit scenarios in the context of long-term population growth, and it has showed that further investigation was warranted.

“The investigation has found that MRT will need to be supported with population and employment growth close to stations along the route,” she said.

“It lends support to work the Partnership has already began to plan for, such as the development

of a Greater Christchurch spatial plan to proactively shape our sub-region.”

Automated cone laying truck shows strong results in trial

On behalf of the Partnership, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and the local councils have been investigating the likely implications of various scenarios for a frequent and high capacity public transport connection running north to Rangiora and south-west to Rolleston.

Video In October 2020, Australian road-safety technology provider Arrowes launched a new innovation called the Automated Cone Truck (ACT), the first commercially available truck in the world that automatically places and retrieves traffic cones.

The Interim Report looks at how MRT could work as Greater Christchurch grows over the next 30 years, by assessing three scenarios, including a scenario utilising the existing heavy rail corridor, and two street running scenarios using either buses or light rail. Under all three scenarios, the report finds there would need to be higher population density around the stations along the route to secure the viability of the system.

A six-week trial run was recently completed by the Victorian Government on its $518m upgrade of the M80 between Sydney Road and Edgars Road.

Initial results from the trial showed that the ACT can efficiently place and retrieve traffic cones, eliminating the interface between live traffic and workers when setting up temporary traffic management.

Mayor Dalziel said “This report provides good technical information for further conversations about concentrated growth. It also shows that each scenario has strengths and weaknesses.”

She said the Interim Report was not intended to identify the preferred route or the preferred type of mass rapid transit system at this stage. “The focus of this initial work is on feasibility. It has analysed a short-list of possible scenarios to better inform the Greater Christchurch Partnership about the actions and policy decisions that need to occur if we are to make MRT viable,” she said.

“As a technical foundation, the report shows MRT could have a role to play as part of a wider cityshaping investment.”

Mayor Dalziel said this meant the findings needed to be considered in the context of broader planning for future growth. “This is why we are proposing that the next phase of MRT be fully integrated with the development of the spatial plan that the Partnership is preparing for Greater Christchurch.”

Greater Christchurch Mass Rapid Transit Interim Report June 2021

The truck is being tested off road before being moved into live traffic conditions where it will be trialled during night work.

“The safety of our people and the community is at the forefront of everything we do, so we’re excited to be the first to trial this innovative new technology on the M80 upgrade,” MRPV program director Eric Shegog said.

Lane closures often require a combination of hard barriers and traffic cones to protect users and road workers while works take place. Manual deployment and collection of the cones can expose road workers to some of the highest risk zones on a road worksite.

Using the ACT reduces the need for workers to come close to live traffic conditions, which can be dangerous. It also reduces the risk of long-term injury from the lifting of the cones, which are heavy and require repetitive movement, and eliminates the risk of fatigue.

The Automated Cone Truck has been four years in the making, with Arrowes’ engineers dedicating

more than 30,000 hours to the design and development of the prototype.

found either mounted on gantries over the road or on poles at the side of the road.

It is believed to be the first commercially available automated cone truck in Australia – and possibly the world.

Highways England’s advice is to treat cameras as though they are always on. When smart motorway cameras haven’t been set to a variable speed limit, they will default to the national speed limit setting.

Smart motorways - what are they and how do motorists use them Video A smart motorway (formerly managed motorway and active traffic management), also known in Scotland as an intelligent transport system, is a section of motorway in the United Kingdom (primarily in England) that employs active traffic management (ATM) techniques to increase capacity through the use of MIDAS technology including variable speed limits and occasionally hard shoulder running and ramp metering at busy times.

Smart motorways garnered intense criticism from politicians, police representatives and motoring organisations, particularly from 2020 onwards, after a surge in near miss incidents and dozens of fatalities were revealed.

The term controlled motorway is sometimes used for schemes that use variable speed limits without hard-shoulder running.

They were developed at the turn of the 21st century as a cost-effective alternative to traditional carriageway widening, with intended benefits ranging from more reliable journey times to lower vehicle emissions. However, despite the risk of a collision occurring between two moving vehicles being found to be decreased, there has been an acknowledged rise in the incidence of collisions involving vehicles where at least one was stationary in the first few years following the widespread removal of the hard shoulder on the country's busiest sections of motorway.

Smart motorway cameras enforce variable speed limits and monitor traffic levels from gantries on England’s roads.

With more cameras on smart motorways, motorists typically have a much higher chance of getting caught and fined for speeding.

Smart motorway cameras are painted yellow and smaller than traditional speed cameras, they can be

In April 2021, the government announced that new smart motorways would include radar, to detect vehicles which had stopped, and additional cameras to aid the detection (and subsequent prosecution) of motorists using lanes which are marked as being closed. The government stated that existing smart motorways would have these additional safety features installed by September 2022.

In 2007 it was estimated that ATM could be introduced within two years at a cost of around £515 million per mile as opposed to 10 years and £79 million per mile for widening.

The M42 scheme was initially run as an experiment and a Highways Agency report into the first six months of the scheme showed a reduction in variability of journey times of up to 27 percent. The journey time statistics can be broken down to show that northbound journey times were reduced by 26 percent, equating to an average reduction of 4 minutes as compared to the period when the variable speed limits were on, but the hard shoulder was not being used, and 9 percent southbound (equating to 1 minute) during the afternoon rush hour.

The report also indicated a fall in the number of accidents from over 5 a month to 1.5 per month on average. The Agency did state that normally accident statistics should be compared over a 3year period, so the initial results should be treated with caution. They also stated that no accidents had been caused by hard shoulder use as a normal lane.

The report also stated that there had been a 10 percent fall in pollution and 4 percent fall in fuel consumption. The report also indicated a compliance rate of 98% to the indicated speed limits when using the hard shoulder. For comparison, before the introduction of mandatory speed limits at road works, the compliance rate was 10 percent as opposed to 89 percent afterwards, showing a similar effect.

The scheme has attracted criticism from motoring organisations such as the AA, who in 2018 reported that many members were concerned that speed limits were being imposed without good cause in situations where traffic was light. In response, Highways England stated that they had "started a comprehensive review of how variable speed limits are set, including the amount of time they are visible to drivers".

(ones which had not started construction) such as a reduction from up to 1.5 miles to 1 mile between Emergency refuge areas (or other qualifying areas) and Stranded vehicle detection radars to be installed as part of the project. Other actions it required to be taken is for all Dynamic Hard Shoulder Motorways to be converted into All-LaneRunning by March 2025, Stranded Vehicle Detection radars to be installed on all Smart Motorways within 36 months and a potential national programme to install more emergency refuge areas on current smart motorways.

Highways England unveils automated cone layer

second

Highways England has released footage of a second automated cone laying vehicle designed to protect roadworkers, which is now undergoing off-road trials in the UK. Working with a group of industry experts, Highways England has been on a journey to develop automated vehicles which will take out the human element involved in putting out cones – eliminating one of the biggest risks facing roadworkers.

Two automated vehicles have been developed as part of that vision. The first, developed by Highways Care, has completed its on-road trials and can now be taken out to the marketplace for use on the strategic road network.

In January 2020, it was announced that a review was planned after freedom of information requests showed that near misses had increased up to 20fold, and that 38 people had died. The emergency refuge areas (ERA) were placed 500 metres (0.31 mi) apart on the M42 pilot scheme, but can be 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) apart on stretches of the M25.

Only 9 percent of drivers feel safe while using smart motorways. Some of the extra capacity is negated by drivers terrified to drive on the inside lane and not using them.

In January 2020, all "Smart Motorways" were put under review to address safety concerns and determine an action plan. On 12 March 2020, the review and action plan was published. It stated changes to the standards for new smart motorways

And now the second vehicle, developed by King Highway Products, has been unveiled as it carries out extensive off-road testing at Manston Airport in Kent. This vehicle is quite different because King has opted for more of a ‘revolver’ style deployment with a huge rotating drum putting out and collecting the cones.

Currently, putting out cones is undertaken by two people on the rear of a vehicle working in tandem.

Usually working at night and in all weathers, the workers lift up to six tonnes in cones alone per shift.

Cones are vital to protect road users and road workers when essential work is being carried out

but with motorway traffic thundering past, the job can be quite scary. The automated vehicles will improve safety and free up two workers for other tasks.

“The King vehicle is very innovative and quite something to see in action. The off-road tests have been extremely promising so far and we are looking forward to taking this forward,” says Highways England head of lean and continuous improvement Martin Bolt, who leads the project. “At Highways England, we are always looking for ways to improve safety and so we were very keen to do what we could to support the testing of these automated machines which will not only reduce the potential risk to road workers but also take away a physically demanding and laborious task.

“To watch these two vehicles develop from concept, to prototype, testing and ultimately being used on our roads is incredibly rewarding and we are looking forward to both being routinely used for roadworks on our network.”

Experts from Highways England, Kier, HW Martin Traffic Management and competitors Highway Care and King Highway Products are working together in a collaborative effort to resolve this potential safety risk.

adds Kier head of innovation, Tom Tideswell. “The added safety feature of a crash cushion offers the workforce increased protection whilst carrying out their duties. The continual movement of the barrel also allows the vehicle to constantly be moving whilst in action which will further reduce the exposure faced by our workforce.

“The use of the automated cone laying machines support our commitment to continuously improve the safety of our operations and we are keen to see the progress of this machine on road trials.”

Highways England have funded support to this project through the Innovation Designated Funds program and established a minimum standard while the companies themselves are developing the vehicles.

The vehicles are among a host of innovations being showcased by Highways England at the ITT Hub event in early July.

It comes after Highways England recently launched its innovation and research strategy. The new strategy outlines how innovation, research and technology, are critical to developing the knowledge, tools and solutions to respond to a changing future. Projects like the automated cone laying vehicles are examples of how the government company is working with industry partners to innovate and create a safer, greener and digital future.

Audi and Applied Information deployment demonstrates C-V2X for improved school zone safety

The unique design enables it to be used as a multipurpose vehicle, negating the requirement for an Impact Protection Vehicle (IPV) whilst setting out the signs and taper,” says King Group director, James Richmond. “The vehicle utilizes standard one metre cones which are laid and collected in a continuous cycle via the rotating barrel.

“We look forward to continuing the off-road testing to prove the machine’s reliability, before moving to on-road trials later in the year.”

“The method of the King machine deploying/retrieving from the side is truly unique,”

Audi of America and partners Applied Information, Blue Bird, Fulton Co. School System, City of Alpharetta, and Temple, Inc., have completed an initial cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) deployment to refine the technology for communities to adopt and begin to lay the groundwork for integration into future production vehicles.

The deployment, which began last year, leveraged C-V2X solutions provided by Qualcomm Technologies and Commsignia, to test roadside units (RSUs) from Applied Information, which were mounted in flashing speed limit signs near school zones. A 2021 Audi e-tron Sportback electric SUV and a propane-powered Blue Bird school bus were equipped with Qualcomm Technologies’ and Commsignia’s C-V2X solutions.

This initial deployment demonstrated that when active in school zones, the RSU is designed to send a direct, low-latency signal to the connected Audi, alerting the driver with a visual warning and audible signal to slow down. The technology can warn drivers when they’re entering an active school zone or approaching a school bus to reduce risks for children and vulnerable road users.

Similarly, when a Blue Bird school bus extends its stop arm, it alerts oncoming traffic that children may be entering or exiting a school bus. This is especially helpful on curvy or hilly roads where a driver might not be able to see the bus. Studies show that stop-arm violations—when a car drives past a stopped school bus illegally—continue to be one of the most significant dangers to children and other vulnerable road users around school buses with an estimated 17 million stop-arm violations in the U.S. in 20192.

The initial deployment took place in Alpharetta, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb where Applied Information develops next-generation communications technology with connected infrastructure throughout its 78.5- square-mile testing zone, including more than 130 connected traffic signals. The partners tested C-V2X through both LTE and 5G networks with the Fulton County School System, one of Georgia’s largest school districts. Together, the partners are fine-tuning this technology on closed courses at the InfrastructureAutomotive Testing Laboratory (iATL) facility and with buses and connected road signs in real-world traffic conditions in Alpharetta city traffic.

The ability to realize the potential safety benefits of C-V2X technology became possible following a U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruling reached in November 2020 and published in May 2021. In this decision, the FCC agreed to allocate a portion of the 5.9 GHz cellular band for C-V2X applications for the first time. The decision paved the way for automakers to deploy standardized messages for vehicles to speak to one another, including the above school zone and bus use cases.

Moving forward, the partners see significant

opportunities to deploy C-V2X systems nationwide so that vehicle manufacturers, companies that create roadside infrastructure, and local authorities can deliver increased road safety that particularly benefits school children.

Additionally, vehicles with built-in infrastructure, such as the Blue Bird school bus used in this deployment, demonstrate how vehicles can communicate with road signs and traffic-control devices and opens up opportunities to use in different public vehicles, such as buses, emergency vehicles, and other service equipment.

Using algorithms developed by Audi and the Silicon Valley-based Volkswagen Group Innovation and Engineering Center California, technical teams from the partners are able to evaluate optimal warning times and distances for C-V2X to function to safely augment the driving experience. Using direct vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-infrastructure CV2X communication, a vehicle is able to pick up a basic safety message every 100 milliseconds, taking topography, time of day for school zones and indirect cell tower communications into consideration as well.

This technology can supplement cameras and sensors to read the road, allowing a future where truly automated driving will no longer rely on visible vehicles and road markings to help drivers move safely down the road. C-V2X provides an accelerated potential for this future, supplementing communications with cameras and sensors and allowing for the potential to help make drivers and vulnerable road users safer through technology.

Questions abound on microplastics from road traffic According to an estimate, tyre wear particles accounts for at least half of the Swedish microplastics emissions. While tyre particles are actually rubber, they are often included in the definition of microplastics.

In 2017, the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI) was commissioned by the Government with developing and disseminating knowledge of microplastic emissions from road traffic and identifying instruments and measures to reduce emissions. The commission is to report to the Government no later than 1 June 2021.

“We see two overarching issues,” says Mikael Johannesson, VTI’s director of research in environment and transport.

while for road wear it is the opposite. Another subproject used VTI’s road simulator to study differences in tyre wear and particle emissions within and between categories of tyre.

“How great is the problem of exposure to microplastic particles from road traffic from an environmental and health perspective? And what cost-effective measures can we take to reduce the emission and dispersal of particles and their impact on the environment and health?”

Contact: Mikael Johannesson mikael.johannesson@vti.se VTI, Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute

Vision Zero and the race to reduce road deaths

The assignment was divided into various subprojects, which are now approaching completion. One important element early in the process was a literature review to compile knowledge of microplastics emitted by wear and tear on tyres and road surfaces. This was the first literature review of its kind and by April 2021 the English-language version had been downloaded more than 1,800 times.

In the review, the researchers reveal a need for further knowledge in a number of areas; among other things, studies need to be conducted of how tyre and road particles disperse and how different organisms are affected by various levels and types of particles.

When it comes to measures, these can be divided into at least two groups; those that reduce particle emissions, such as more frequent control of wheel balancing and tyre pressure or lower speeds and reduced traffic flows; and those that reduce the dispersal of microplastics, such as road cleaning or improving the treatment of stormwater and wastewater.

“But we need to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of various measures if we are to be able to prioritise them,” says Mikael Johannesson.

One subproject has taken measurements on the streets of Gothenburg, revealing that tyre wear is greatest during the summer and lowest in winter,

Vision Zero is a multi-national road traffic safety project that aims to achieve a highway system with no fatalities or serious injuries involving road traffic. It started in Sweden and was approved by their parliament in October 1997. A core principle of the vision is that 'Life and health can never be exchanged for other benefits within society' rather than the more conventional comparison between costs and benefits, where a monetary value is placed on life and health, and then that value is used to decide how much money to spend on a road network towards the benefit of decreasing risk.

Vision Zero was introduced in 1995 and over the past 26 years it has been variously adopted in different countries (with Sweden, the Netherlands, Canada, the UK and US the first five to fully embrace the notion), although its description varies significantly. The countermeasures implemented in Vision Zero continue to be education, enforcement and engineering, applied since the 1930s.

The concept of Vision Zero is based on an underlying ethical principle that "it can never be ethically acceptable that people are killed or seriously injured when moving within the road transport system." As an ethics-based approach, Vision Zero functions to guide strategy selection and not to set particular goals or targets. In most road transport systems, road users bear complete responsibility for safety. Vision Zero changes this relationship by emphasizing that both transportation system designers and road users share responsibility.

It’s clearly working. Take the Netherlands as a perfect example. In 1980 there were 1996 people killed on Dutch roads. By 2013 that figure had dipped below 500. Cars are safer, roads are safer… but by the same token drivers have come to rely on the life-saving technology embedded in their vehicles to ensure they emerge intact from dangerous situations that may well have claimed their lives as little as 25 years ago.

“Human factors are the primary focus: by starting from the demands, competencies, limitations and vulnerabilities of people, the traffic system can be realistically adapted to achieve maximum safety.

Like Vision Zero, SRS it is a ‘safe system’ approach that combines the three E’s’: engineering, education and enforcement in a methodical and scientifically based way,” says van der Knaap.

“During the past 25 years, the SRS approach has accomplished a small metamorphosis of the physical appearance of the Netherlands. The road network is given a hierarchical structure consisting of access roads, distributor roads and through roads. In addition, literally thousands of roundabouts have been constructed and many separated bicycle paths. Evaluation research proved that SRS helps to save many people from fatal road crashes and severe injuries.”

Peter van der Knaap, Managing Director of SWOV Institute for Road Safety Research in the Netherlands, and one of the panellists for Intertraffic’s road safety episode of its On Air series in June 2021, highlighted that a sustainability-led approach is key to the overall success of any scheme designed to save lives.

“The Sustainable Road Safety (SRS) approach of the Netherlands aims to prevent crashes whenever possible and to prevent the risk of serious injury as much as possible,” he explains.

“The vision is clear: in a sustainably safe road traffic environment the infrastructural layout considerably reduces the risk of crashes. In case crashes do still occur, the process that determines the crash severity is conditioned in such a way that serious injury is virtually excluded. Protagoras’ assertion that man is the measure of all things is used as the point of departure. Nearly all crashes have their origin in human error. Hence, the purpose is clear: 1 To reduce the number of errors that are committed by providing clear traffic rules and road design and at the same time; and 2 To construct infrastructure and vehicles in such a ‘forgiving’ way that errors no longer have fatal consequences.”

Consequently, such a sustainably safe road traffic system prevents road deaths, serious road injuries and permanent injury by systematically reducing the underlying risks of the entire traffic system.

In 2018, SWOV launched the third edition of the SRS approach, in which five road safety principles are presented: 1. Functionality of roads; 2. (Bio) Mechanics: limiting differences in speed, direction, mass and size, and giving road users appropriate protection; 3. Psychologics: aligning the design of the road traffic environment with road user competencies.

The other two principles are organization principles now: 4. Effectively allocating responsibility; 5. Learning and innovation within the traffic system.

“Concerning the design principles, vulnerable modes of transport (pedestrians and cyclists in particular) and the competence of older road users were more explicitly included than before,” van der Knaap adds. “The third edition also pays greater attention to cyclist crashes not involving motorized vehicles. Responsibility is emphasized with respect to the role and potential actions of stakeholders in realizing an inherently safe road traffic system.

Herein, the importance is stressed of an in-depth analysis of all fatal road crashes to learn from the things that still go wrong.”

Furthermore, this third edition of the vision calls for a pro-active and risk-based approach, using both crash statistics and road safety performance indicators (or surrogate safety measures) as safety indicators and as a basis for action.

“The aim is to work systematically towards maximum road safety for everybody by means of this third edition of Sustainable Safety, the ultimate

ambition being a casualty-free traffic system. In other words, in the end, every road user – be it schoolchild, commuter, commercial driver or active senior – will come home safely.”

Van der Knaap, somewhat pertinently, mentioned cyclists. Think of the principles of Vision Zero and unless you are a keen, committed cyclist, it’s likely that your first thought is that its main goal is to reduce automotive accidents and resultant KSI statistics. This is certainly not how the European Cyclists’ Federation 2018F (ECF) considers Vision Zero, as the organisation’s Infrastructure Officer Alexander Buczyński elucidates.

“Cycling is traditionally perceived as a local and primarily urban mobility issue. Most cycle trips are indeed relatively short and the potential for cycling is highest in densely populated cities. However, across the EU as much as 42 percent of cyclist fatalities occur outside urban areas which suggests that cycling infrastructure is not only needed in cities,” he says.

“For example, major roads and railroads belonging to the EU’s Trans-European transport network (TEN-T) can create dangerous barriers for walking and cycling. In Hungary, the construction of the M5 motorway destroyed an existing cycle path connecting Szeged with neighbouring towns and a part of the international cycle route EuroVelo 13 – Iron Curtain Trail. In Poland, a section of the flagship EU Rail Baltica project cut towns and villages in half, with only one cycle crossing provided for 10km (4km less than for cars).”

For cyclists who believe that they are the “forgotten” or “ignored” road users, these incidences merely add fuel to their fire.

“These big investments could of course also be used to create new connections or even prioritise active mobility in local traffic,” Buczyński suggests. “But if the opportunities to integrate cycling into a major infrastructure project are missed during design and construction, mistakes are very expensive and difficult to rectify. For example, the cycling bridge over the Brussels ring road on the F3 cycle highway, currently under construction, costs €24 million – more than the rest of the 26-km cycle route between Brussels and Leuven put together.”

Integration of cycling into TEN-T becomes more and more important with the extraordinary boom in ebikes. E-bikes extend the range of daily cycling, offering healthy and sustainable mobility to new areas, but in order to realise their potential, cycling

networks need to reach out from core urban areas into suburbs and the surrounding regions.

“The growing popularity of cycle tourism, estimated in the EU’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy to contribute already more than €176 billion to tourism revenues, increases demand for safe longdistance cycle routes,” Buczyński maintains.

“The upcoming revision of the TEN-T guidelines, to be finalised by 2023, offers a window of opportunity to systematically integrate cycling into the EU’s flagship transport policy. This should be approached from two angles: integrate EuroVelo, the European cycle route network, into the TEN-T, alongside the other modes of transport, and integrate selected elements of cycling infrastructure into other TEN-T infrastructure projects. The European cycle route network would integrate existing national and regional cycle networks, and form a backbone where these do not exist yet, whereas integrating critical elements of cycling facilities in TEN-T projects would lead to more efficient public spending, with higher quality and more functionality provided for a lower price.”

Traffic road marking coatings market to hit US$8.34 billion by 2028; mounting concerns over road safety to prove favourable for the market The global traffic road marking coatings market size is projected to reach US$8.34 billion by 2028, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate of 4.1 percent during the forecast period. The market size stood at US$6.04 billion in 2020 and is estimated to touch US$6.31 billion in 2021, according to a report

by Fortune Business Insights™ Startling rise in road fatalities worldwide to fuel market growth Accidents and deaths caused by road crashes have been steadily rising around the globe over the past few years. Recent data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) reveal that road traffic

accidents kill roughly 1.35 million people globally every year, with more than 50 percent of these mishaps occurring among the most road users – pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. Furthermore, the WHO data also show that road accidents also cause non-fatal injuries to many millions around the world annually. Traffic road marking coatings are essential in ensuring that drivers are aware of the road conditions, especially during the night and on unknown terrains. These coatings can efficiently prevent the crashing of vehicles with each other as well as reduce the risk for other road users.

COVID-19 impact The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the traffic road marking coatings market growth to tumble in an unprecedented manner, with the market registering a sharp decline of 3.67 percent in 2020.

With the coronavirus continuing its relentless rampage in several major economies, governments have had to impose severe lockdowns and movement restrictions, confining large swathes of the global populace to their homes. As a result, there has been a steep drop in the demand for vehicles, air travel, and other critical economic activities, which have petered down the necessity of deploying road safety-ensuring solutions.

Development of eco-friendly road marking solutions to invigorate the market Traditional paints and coatings are known for their high content of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are known to intensify global warming and damage the ozone layer. With the movement towards sustainability gaining momentum worldwide, traffic road marking coating producers and researchers are singularly focusing on engineering road markings made from environmentally friendly materials. For example, SWARCO Road Marking Systems teamed up with students to investigate the viability of using biopolymers in thermoplastic road markings and their efforts won them the Borealis Student Innovation Award in December 2020. Similarly, USbased Aexcel Corporation has developed the ToughLine suite of traffic paints that offer high performance, contain low VOC, and are solventbased. Thus, the introduction of sustainable traffic markings is rapidly elevating the potential of this market.

Robust demand for construction activities to propel the market in Asia Pacific Asia Pacific is expected to dominate the traffic road marking coatings market share over the forecast period on account of the escalating demand for constructions in the region. This exponential

growth is underpinned by the rapid expansion of urban areas in the region, especially in China and India. Driven by these factors, Asia Pacific boasted a thumping market size of US$ 2.37 billion in 2020.

In North America, the growing preference for water-based traffic road marking coatings will be the principal contributing factor for the regional market. In the US market, the water-based coatings segment held a share of 37.3 percent in 2020. On the other hand, the market in Europe is set to make considerable gains due to increasing investments in upgrading public transport networks by EU members.

Segmentation Based on product, the market has been divided into water-based coatings, solvent-based coatings, and thermoplastic coatings. Among these, the waterbased coatings segment held a leading share of 39.1 percent in the global market in 2020.

Key players to strategically deepen business ties across geographies Geographic expansion is a key priority area for leading companies specializing in traffic road marking coating solutions. These players are entering into strategic partnerships with different companies worldwide to deepen their presence in lucrative markets. In addition, some market participants are also devising products to enhance driver safety, which in turn will help in reducing road accidents.

Fortune Business Insights™ lists out a few of the renowned companies present in the traffic road marking coatings market. They are as follows:  Asian Paints Ltd. (India)  Langfang Tenroads Glass Products Co., Ltd. (Hebei province, China)  Geveko Markings (Gainesville, Sweden)  Rua Seguridad (Metro Manila, Philippines)  Sherwin-Williams Company (Ohio, U.S)  Resincoat Ltd (U.K)  3M (Minnesota, U.S)  Ennis Flint (North Carolina, U.S)  Berger Paints (West Bengal, India)  Dulux Protective Coatings (Australia)

London installs new tech to prioritise pedestrians over cars Transport for London (TfL) has announced it is to introduce pedestrian priority technology at more crossings in the city as part of a drive to become the world’s most walkable city.

A total of 18 new pedestrian crossings are to have pioneering Green Person Authority technology, which means they are programmed to show a continuous ‘green person’ (walk) signal until traffic approaches, making it easier for people to cross the road. These will be in place by the end of June and will help make the capital’s transport network even more sustainable and support a green recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

The number of journeys made on foot has hugely increased throughout the pandemic, with TfL data from earlier this year showing that 31 percent of Londoners say they are walking to places where they used to travel by a different mode, and 57 percent say they now go on more walks for exercise or walk for longer than they did before. At one point last year, the number of journeys made on foot increased from 35 percent of journeys to almost 50 percent. The new traffic signals will further enable people to travel around the capital this way.

Will Norman, London’s walking and cycling commissioner, says: “Walking has so many benefits – it doesn’t just enable us to get from A to B, but also improves our mental and physical health. We know that safety is a key concern for people walking around London, and giving pedestrians priority is a powerful way of putting them first and making it easier to cross London’s roads. By combining this with creating extra pavement space and ensuring roadworks are carried out in a way that doesn’t disrupt Londoners, we will make our city the world’s most walkable and eradicate collisions on our streets.”

Nick Owen, TfL’s Head of Network Performance, said: “We know that walking is a brilliant way for people to make local journeys, boosting activity levels while cutting the number of car trips and the associated congestion and pollution they can cause.

We’re determined to make it easier for people to cross the road and to give people the space they need to walk safely, and these initiatives will make a difference in enabling more people to access local high streets, shops and other businesses in a sustainable way.”

Ford develops panoramic view smart mirror for van drivers Ford has unveiled a new mirror that enables van drivers to see cyclists, pedestrians and other vehicles behind the vehicle, even with windowless rear doors or partitions in the way.

A number of factors have influenced the signal locations, including high pedestrian flow, proximity to pedestrian destinations such as shopping centres, stations and schools, and suitability of existing technology. TfL continues to identify new locations where Green Person Authority crossings can be introduced, with the aim of increasing their number over the coming years.

From March 2020 onwards, TfL worked closely with boroughs across London to deliver around 22,500 square meters of extra pavement space across the capital. The pavements were widened, either using barriers or temporary pavement buildouts, to give people more space to walk and socially distance as part of TfL’s emergency response to the coronavirus pandemic. Greater space on footways make it easier for walking, especially for disabled people.

TfL research shows that on average people who regularly walk to the high street spend up to 40% more than people who drive.

The ‘smart mirror’ resembles a regular rear-view mirror but is a high-definition screen that provides a panoramic view behind the van.

A live feed from a camera on the rear of the van is displayed on the mirror, which features automatic brightness control for visibility in daylight and at night.

What’s more, the system reportedly offers a field of view that is twice the width of a conventional rearview mirror.

According to Ford, the solution has been designed to help drivers to be more aware of their surroundings, for example when approaching roundabouts, changing lanes or checking before merging or turning into side streets.

Owen Gregory, director of commercial vehicle aftersales at Ford of Europe, said: “Providing our drivers with maximum visibility – especially in urban areas where there is so much to look out for – increases their confidence and is a key part of making journeys safer for them, and for other road users as well.”

According to Ford, the new mirror could benefit businesses by reducing the need for accident damage repairs, as well as potentially contributing to lower insurance premiums.

The automotive manufacturer added that fitting the system may also improve uptime and is available for Ford Transit and Transit Custom vans fitted with windowless rear doors.

All Ford dealers can order and fit the system, which is compatible with Transit vans built from 2014 and Transit Custom models built from 2012.

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Mobile phone, seatbelt cameras closer for South Australia roads The State Government is seeking information on cameras to catch drivers using mobile phones behind the wheel, and if the technology can be extended to spotting drivers not wearing seatbelts.

The Government announced it would spend $19.4 million installing “state-of-the-art” fixed mobile phone detection cameras at high-risk sites across metropolitan Adelaide in November’s State Budget.

Installation is expected to start from September 2022.

Last week, the Department for Infrastructure and Transport launched a “request for information” process to find out how South Australia could operate the high-definition cameras.

According to a government document, installing the cameras would result “improved road safety outcomes” by deterring people from using their phone behind the wheel. “The use of a mobile phone while driving is considered to be a significant distraction to the driving task which places the driver, vehicle passengers and other road users at a higher risk of a crash which may result in a serious injury or life lost,” the document states.

“The use of a mobile phone while driving a vehicle is illegal under the South Australian Road Rules and this is currently enforced manually by SAPOL at the road side. It is believed that this process could be automated through the use of camera technology, allowing a greater deterrence effect across the road network.”

That was the headline on a March 25, 2021 article in the Wall Street Journal. The short answer is yes, but not as much as you may think.

Drawing on researchers at the University of Toronto, the article compared life-cycle CO2 emissions of gasoline and electric vehicles, including construction, producing the energy source, and operation for up to 200,000 miles for a Toyota RAV4 and a Tesla Model 3. Over a 200,000mile lifetime, the emissions of the Toyota are 78 tons, compared with 36 tons for the Tesla. Net savings from the Tesla begin at the 20,600-mile point. In addition, the Tesla also comes out slightly ahead in total cost of ownership, according to Consumer Reports.

The document states the Government also wants to find out whether mobile phone detection cameras have “additional enforcement capabilities”, such as seatbelt detection.

“The Department for Infrastructure and Transport is currently seeking information from technology providers about the capabilities of mobile phone detection cameras,” he said. “Sadly, distraction is one of the leading causes of lives lost and serious injuries on our roads.”

It comes after the Queensland Government installed high-tech seatbelt detection cameras along its roads last year. Almost 1000 drivers were caught without seatbelts in the first month of the trial. The Queensland cameras take several photos

of vehicles’ registration plates and front cabins at high speed.

the cameras will cop a $,1033 fine and four demerit points.

The images are processed through an algorithm that uses indicators to detect whether a driver is holding a mobile phone or not wearing a seatbelt.

A police officer then verifies the images to detect whether an offence has been committed.

“So far in 2021, 136 people have died on Queensland roads – 12 more than at the same time last year,” Mr Bailey said on Thursday. “These deaths … have a shattering impact on communities across the state.”

Drivers and passengers who are caught not wearing a seatbelt in South Australia face a $388 fine and the loss of three demerit points. Using a phone while driving attracts a $544 fine and the loss of three demerit points.

Mobile phones can continue to be used when a vehicle is stationary to pay for goods and services, including when at a drive-through. Open and P2 drivers can continue to use their phones while hands-free to accept phone calls or access navigation services.

Harsh new mobile phone road rules, camera detection to become permanent Queensland drivers face $1,000 fines and four demerit points if they’re caught on camera using their phones behind the wheel or not wearing a seatbelt.

Roadside cameras will be permanently rolled out across the state’s roads later this month as part of the Queensland government’s $1.69bn road safety plan. The cameras were trialled last year and from July 26 are a permanent fixture in order to catch drivers using their devices while behind the wheel.

New rules are also being rolled out, with drivers banned from resting a mobile on any part of their body, including their laps.

The cameras will also be able to detect drivers and their front-seat passengers not wearing seatbelts.

RACQ spokesperson Renee Smith said refusal to wear a seatbelt was a risk “that can’t afford to be taken”, and it was often the difference between life and death. “Given the shocking number of people killed on our roads so far this year, we hope these new measures will help deter unsafe driving and save lives,” she said.

WA’s biggest regional road safety upgrade program The South-West region of Western Australia is receiving more than $41 million in road safety upgrades and improvements from the Regional Road Safety Program – as part of the biggest regional road safety upgrade program in Western Australian history.

More than $980 million in road works is being delivered in the South-West, including:    

Motorists will not be allowed to hold mobile phones in their hands regardless of whether the device is on. Drivers will also be forbidden from passing their phone to a passenger.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said there would be a three-month grace period for drivers, but from November 1 any driver caught by



$41 million from the $455 million Regional Road Safety Program $852 million for construction of the Bunbury Outer Ring Road $85 million to duplicate the Bussell Highway, between Busselton and Capel $7 million upgrades to South Western Highway between Brookhampton Road and Tassone Road, at Thompsons Hill $2.1 million for Construction of a roundabout at the intersection of South Western Highway and Vittoria Road

Western Australian Road Safety Minister, Paul Papalia, said, ”This is the biggest single investment in regional road safety WA has ever seen”.

that traditional teams of two-to-four people can be replaced by a single person operating the robots.

10Lines has now closed a seed round of €700,000, led by Tera Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in early-stage global digital start-ups, with co-investment from US investor Perot Jain.

“Sadly, far too many crashes still occur in our regional areas. Many of these crashes are a result of simple mistakes and single vehicle run offs.

Safety treatments like these will make a huge difference and make these roads safer.”

“10Lines has already started reference projects in Estonia and signed letters of intent with striping companies in the US. The investment from Tera and Perot Jain will allow the company to complete the development and production of its technology, begin scaling the business and bring on additional team members,” it asserted.

As part of the partnership between the State and Federal Governments, important safety treatments like shoulder sealing, the installation of audible edge and audible centre lines are being installed on around 430kms of South-West roads.

These safety treatments aim to significantly reduce the risks associated with run-off road crashes..

Estonian company develops road marking robots An Estonian company, called 10Lines, is producing autonomous robots that are used for parking lot and road marking, allowing operators to replace the existing manual process with an automated solution.

The company was founded in 2019 by Tarmo Prints, a co-owner of a traditional parking lot marking company in Estonia with more than 10 years’ experience in the industry, and Janno Paas, an experienced start-up CTO and AI developer.

Swarco deepens Australia ties with Supalux

The company says its “robots can complete line markings seven times faster than current processes, cutting out exhaustive measuring and pre-marking and significantly reducing the requirement for human oversight, while saving around 1.9 tons of CO2 emissions per robot per year”.

Swarco has deepened its business relations with Supalux to further strengthen their road marking systems business together in Australia.

Its robots use satellite positioning in combination with other sensors enabling accuracy within one to two centimetres – that’s less than an inch. The company’s “software will allow users to map sites digitally and set the robot in motion, cutting out much of the measuring and pre-marking process that currently accounts for 70 percent of the time required to mark parking lots, while at the same time reducing errors,” it said in a statement, adding

Over the past five years, Swarco says Supalux has developed into a significant user and producer of its high performance road marking systems, giving a boost to the performance of road markings, ultimately contributing to improved road safety in Australia.

The terms of the deal have not been revealed but Swarco confirms it will have its own base in Western Australia's capital Perth.

Harald Mosböck, Swarco’s road marking systems vice president for Europe & APMEA, says: “I am

convinced that Supalux will benefit from Swarco’s three-fold know-how in the manufacture of glass beads and road marking materials and their professional application."

NZTA/NZRF T 8 and T 12 The T 8 and T 12 applicator testing programme is a key component of industry self-regulation.

NZTA P 22 specification states in Section 6: At the time of tender contractors shall forward copies of current T/8 certificates for the plant they propose to use on the contract. The applicator(s) certification is to be kept valid for the period of the contract.

There is a .pdf version of the applicator certificates associated with each registration line.

"The R&D progress made at our Center of Competence for Glass Technology and Road Marking Systems in Austria will also be shared with Supalux and introduce further positive impulses.“

Originals of certificates are no longer being mailed to contractors and the website register is evidence of registration.

Supalux managing director John Vyse says: “I am certain that Swarco will bring significant technological development to the Australian traffic technology market now and in the years to come.” ˝We count on the entrepreneurial spirit and mentality of both our family businesses to strengthen our market position, make technological advances and further improve the safety on Australian roads˝, conclude Mosböck and Swarco chief operating officer Michael Schuch in a statement.

Upcoming Events NZRF AGM and Workshop Virtual meeting and Coastline Markers, Albany, Auckland 18th August 2021 Intertraffic Amsterdam RIA Amsterdam Postponed until 29 March – 1 April 2022 www.intertraffic.com RIAA/NZRF Conference and Exhibition Opal Cove, Coffs Harbour, NSW 27th and 28th July 2022 www.riaa.com.au

These can be accessed via a hyperlink off the certificate registration number.

The certificates include a photograph of the applicator.

T 12 certificates include schedules setting out the scope of certification covering plain flat markings, structured markings and audio-tactile markings or any combinations of these.