Skip to main content

RSMA hosts 16th and largest conference in Nottingham, England

The Road Safety Markings Association (RSMA) this week held its 16th and largest annual conference at Eastwood Hall in Nottingham, England. Under the title ‘Roadmarking 2013 Safety Through Innovation’, the event on 13-14 November included a host of presentations from leading transport and specific road marking industry figures based in the UK and Europe dealing with technological and practical innovations relating to road marking-led road safety. Jenny Moten, divisional director for Network Services at th
November 15, 2013 Read time: 3 mins
RSSThe 5149 Road Safety Markings Association (RSMA) this week held its 16th and largest annual conference at Eastwood Hall in Nottingham, England.

Under the title ‘Roadmarking 2013 Safety Through Innovation’, the event on 13-14 November included a host of  presentations from leading transport and specific road marking industry figures based in the UK and Europe dealing with technological and practical innovations relating to road marking-led road safety.

Jenny Moten, divisional director for Network Services at the 2309 Highways Agency (HA), outlined how the Government policy paper ‘Action for Roads’, which includes changes to the running of the HA and a commitment of US$44.924 billion (£28 billion) for road maintenance between 2015 and 2020, may change the road marking sector and the work of the HA within it.

Conor Fitzgerald, engineering inspection at the National Road Authority (NRA) in Ireland, described the approach the NRA takes on road markings and how positive monitoring by contractors is being used to underwrite the performance of their network, while also limiting costs, during tough economic times.

Other key speakers were Dr Lisa Dorn, research director at Driver Metrics, who is leading a team of psychologists working with the private and public sector on research concerned with driver behaviour; and Tobias Lotz, development engineer, driver assistance technologies, at 3423 Ford, who spoke about that while innovations in in-car technology are rapidly improving safety levels for drivers, it must be compatible with basic highway infrastructure to make the most of these advances.

A wide variety of workshop sessions looked at projects including 777 TRL’s InRoads and Safer Cycling Innovations; Michael Gatscha, of Neurotraffic, Austria, talking about driver reaction in wet/night conditions; and the Dark Skies initiative and research in Galloway Forest Park in Scotland.

Meanwhile, a host of leading road marking sector firms such as the 7819 Hitex International Group, the event’s main sponsors, 152 3M, 173 Borum, and 1658 Hofmann were among exhibitors during the conference, showcasing their latest machines and technology.

The two-day conference also incorporated Safer Surfacing 2013, and, for the first time, the Annual RSMA Health and Safety Forum Event.

On the importance of the conference, RSMA national director George Lee said, “In the last few years we’ve taken a much broader and more international approach to the event. It’s such a melting pot of different ideas and different initiatives that actually play out in every different aspect of our industry.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • ERIC2016 the driver to European prosperity
    June 22, 2016
    From 18-20 October 2016, the European Union Road Federation (ERF), in partnership with the Road Safety markings Association (RSMA) will present the 1st European Road Infrastructure Congress (ERIC2016) in the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds. Spanning three days, ERIC will bring together policymakers, road authorities, academics, research laboratories and industry representatives from across Europe and other countries to exchange good practices and present new research findings. The focus is on how to imp
  • Reserve your place at the 1st European Road Infrastructure Congress (ERIC)
    September 13, 2016
    With the 1st European Road Infrastructure Congress less than 100 days away, the organising team is pleased to share the event’s latest developments. Why attend? Attractive business opportunities. Despite the vote in the British referendum on 23 June, the UK will continue to be one of the most promising EU markets in terms of road infrastructure development. The recently established Highways England plans to renovate up to 80% of England’s strategic road network within the coming years, which will also incl
  • Workzone safety protects workforce and drivers
    May 3, 2012
    Highway construction work zones are dangerous places, and anything that can improve safety is welcomed as Patrick Smith reports. The safe and efficient flow of traffic through work zones is a major concern to transportation officials, industry, the public, businesses, and commercial motor carriers. This is the view of the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which has developed the Highway Work Zone Safety Program to reduce the fatalities and injurious crashes in work zones, and to enhance traffic oper
  • Success of ECED dealers'conference
    April 11, 2012
    ECED's first Dealers' Conference in April during Intermat resulted in "a tremendous success and solid future outlook for the association" The president of the European Confederation of Equipment Distributors (ECED), Dr. José Gameiro, said the gravity of the current crisis is "the worst in the past 50 years, with a devastating effect on equipment distribution for public works and civil construction." Describing the foreseeable consequences for the equipment sector, he estimated that "up to 20-30% of Euro