Residents of the Wirral have seen improvements to local road safety following the instantiation of electronic vehicle-activated signage by TWM Traffic Control Systems, with the company reporting a 16% reduction in speed across some areas.
TWM, which is part of The Pilot Group, secured a three-year deal with Wirral Council to introduce a solution that would help to improve speed awareness and make roads across the region safer.
The contract, which is worth almost half a million pounds, has seen TWM design, supply and install over 20 LED Vehicle Activated Signs (VAS) across the Wirral Council area.
The VAS are designed to warn drivers of excessive speeds or unforeseen hazards. The system uses radar technology to detect oncoming vehicles and includes a combination of sensors and wireless communications. By only illuminating upon detection of a car, the signs are also able to avoid any wasted energy and could be powered off-grid or by renewable energy sources where possible.
Since installation, the VAS solutions have seen up to a 16% reduction in speed across some areas and has received positive feedback from residents and Wirral Council, which has appointed TWM to complete additional work in the area. This includes VAS speed control signs with twin amber flashers, ‘slow down’ safety message and LED ‘keep left’ signage.
Wirral Council are also looking to begin using the TWM central management system (CMS) for the signage, which allows remote monitoring and sign updates. This avoids wasted trips to the signage as maintenance can be managed through the CMS, saving valuable resource in staff, time, and money, as well as unnecessary travel.
The data collected can also be useful for police intelligence, customer enquiries and to help justify further investment in road safety measures.
Carl Amos, senior network manager at Wirral Council, said: “The new signs act a reminder to road users to reduce speed and take extra care. The locations have been chosen based on known areas of speeding to help create speed awareness and increase driver safety.
“LED lights are used in the signs – with the signs being either wind and/or solar powered – to make them as sustainable as possible. This is a common goal for all of the council’s highways assets as the council plans to achieve ‘net zero’ carbon emissions by 2030.”
