Signs of future times from Costain and Swarco

Contractor Costain and Austrian manufacturer Swarco have collaborated to create and install the UK’s next generation of digital road message signs.
February 13, 2020 Read time: 1 min

The two companies developed the sign technology for Highways England, the government road asset agency, with Costain delivering the roadside controller and Swarco delivering the signs. According to Costain, the next generation of signs is getting messages to road users more quickly which, in turn, improves road safety and the journey experience for travellers.

The new signs use high-resolution colour optical technology components that enable clearer messages and graphics to be displayed in all weather conditions.

Less material including cabling is used in the manufacturing process which means maintenance requirements are reduced as well as the time engineers spend on roadside duties.

The signs can also display live video images of congestion on the road ahead. This video information could be provided to road users in the future, according to Ian Parker, managing director for transportation at Costain.

Highway & Network Management

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • British Tunnelling Society conference: digging deep for data
    December 13, 2016
    Tunnelling innovation is creating mountains of data for contractors and designers, delegates to a recent British Tunnelling Society (BTS) conference heard Successful innovation in tunnelling techniques and technologies is creating more and more data, thanks to digitalisation.
    Read More
  • Intermat Middle East positions itself for growth
    October 17, 2012
    As the United Arab Emirates gears up to invest more than US $4.6 billion (UAE Dirham 17 billion) in its nationwide road network in the next few years, the second annual INTERMAT Middle East show has taken place in Abu Dhabi with suppliers like AAA Cranes, Miller UK, Kanoo, Liebherr, Sennebogen, WireCo World, Erkat, Terex Finlay, Atlas Copco, , ELSA SRL, Robit Rock Tools, Ramtec Robi, Scheuerle Fahrzeugfabrik, T.G.S – The Grab Specialist, BV Beco, Techking Tires, Blastrac, SK Solutions, Xcentric Internationa
    Read More
  • Road markings essential for road safety
    March 16, 2012
    Road markings, along with laying and testing equipment, are all essential to make sure drivers get clear instructions. Patrick Smith reports Road markings are as important as signs, with longitudinal markings informing and warning road users of approaching situations that will require them to take some form of action.
    Read More
  • Extended Traffic Control in 2014 and beyond
    April 3, 2014
    One leading traffic control solution company has announced a major acquisition to broaden its customer offer, while the delivery of an ambitious real-time journey information service for Scotland’s motorists is well on track. Guy Woodford reports Kapsch’s TrafficCom says its high-profile recent US$16 million acquisition of Transdyn will enable it to offer current and future customers worldwide an extended end-to-end product and solution portfolio for intelligent transport systems (ITS). The acquisitio
    Read More

Highlighted Content