UK-based LED signage specialists Messagemaker is highlighting the use of its active signs by town, village and parish councils around the country, in order to tackle speeding on the road and encourage drivers to be more alert in built-up urban areas.
As traffic levels continue to climb, it is becoming increasingly important for local authorities to manage the high volume of motor vehicles within their communities. Part of the Stocksigns Group, Messagemaker provides two LED signs to improve road safety and reduce traffic speed, with the company’s Speed Awareness Message (SAM) and Speed Limit Reminder (SLR) systems specifically designed to slow motorists down.
The SAM systems work by telling a driver the speed they are doing and warning them to slow down. The SLR signs display the maximum speed the motorist should be travelling at that location. Alerting drivers to their speed levels allows them to be more aware of their surroundings when on the road.
Both signage options offer cost-effective alternatives to constructing new road layouts or introducing speed cameras. They can be adapted to different post sizes and run on rechargeable batteries that can be teamed with solar panels to provide speed awareness in off-grid locations. The versatility and simplicity of the signs allow them to be moved easily. For example, a local council may implement a sign on one road, while having the choice to move the sign onto another street at any time to maintain overall public safety.
“We understand the importance of road safety and the ever-changing conditions of Britain’s roads,” said Danny Adamson, managing director of the Stocksigns Group. “We have provided the SAM and SLR systems which can support local councils and organizations to improve safety for local communities. Our LED signs can be taken down quickly and placed in a new location without having to block traffic or change power supply. As well as being fully weatherproof and being used to capture vehicle data in real time, both of our signs use high visibility displays, so drivers can see the warning 100m ahead of them.”
SAM and SLR systems provided by Messagemaker have been implemented in many local communities across the country as part of their traffic management plans. George Beable at Ugborough Parish Council in South Devon, commented, “The system is a very good and useful tool to alert modern drivers who are less inclined to take their foot off the pedal. These signs have been particularly useful in the small surrounding villages, as drivers are less conscious of what is around them in a remote rural environment.”
Mike Spencer at Brattleby Parish Council in Lincolnshire, said, “It is effective having these signs in the local area. You’ll always have drivers who don’t consider the importance of speed signs, but from what I’ve noticed in my experience is that around 80% of the vehicles do brake once they see the flashing sign.”
