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 the2309 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, at3423 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 including777 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 the7819 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.”
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
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
A wide variety of workshop sessions looked at projects including
Meanwhile, a host of leading road marking sector firms such as the
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.”
