Night time road conditions feature at Traffex 2016, clearly demonstrating the benefits of high visibility vehicle, signage, apparel, and road markings
Now in its 28th year, Europe’s largest dedicated road, traffic, and transport event Traffex returns to the NEC, Birmingham from April 4th to 6th, when the international traffic management, road safety, and highways maintenance exhibition will showcase over 350 exhibitors. Visitors will have the chance to interact with technologies that are set to shape UK roads and the transport network of the future. Traffex 2017 will also, once again, be co-located with Parkex, Europe’s largest dedicated parking exhibition.
The road to hell
Chris Rea’s 1989 song The Road to Hell is said to have been inspired by the frustrations of the M25 during peak-hour traffic. With the introduction of smart motorways, improved signage, and intelligent systems, things have come a long way since then.
However, with increasing numbers of vehicles on our roads, making both short and long distance journeys for a multitude of purposes, smooth movement and flow of traffic, along with safety for pedestrians and those working on the highways, as well as vehicle drivers, are paramount. Road and barrier markings, high visibility marking of vehicles, and information and directional signage are all key elements in ensuring these criteria are met, as is the gathering of data and statistics.
The Department for Transport’s publication Transport Statistics in Great Britain 2016 has shown that the total number of miles travelled by all vehicle types is 317bn a year, with cars alone accounting for over 248bn. According to the publication, lorry traffic has also seen the highest year-on-year increase since the 1980s, and van traffic has grown faster than any other vehicle type since 2005.
Lorry traffic has seen the highest year on year increase since the 1980s, and van traffic has grown faster than any other vehicle type since 2005”
This has resulted in an increased call to improve the development of technology for the UK road network, as well as focus on alternative modes of travel, and Traffex 2017 will see the pioneer companies at the forefront of road innovation coming together to reveal the latest products and services available to the sector. The exhibition will bring together 10,000 industry experts who will be on hand to discuss everything from software production to cutting-edge safety solutions.
Traffex will also host over thirty free-to-attend seminars, providing the opportunity to discuss a whole range of current road and transport issues.
Focus points
Through its feature areas as well on the exhibition stands themselves, Traffex 2017 will present a multitude of opportunities for gathering knowledge and information, discussion, and hands-on experience.
New for 2017, the Highways and Transport theatre will tackle some of the industry’s key operational challenges.
Topics will include highways management and maintenance, traffic management and transport planning, street lighting, public realm/street scene, and the future of ITS technology.
Meanwhile, the Traffex theatre will present a series of high-level, thought leadership style presentations and informal debates that will highlight some of the key themes and challenges in the highways and transport sectors. The six main themes are: The challenges of delivering local and national transport and highways infrastructure to enable growth and prosperity; the importance of investing in local infrastructure; better contracting and procurement; road and road worker safety; devolution and regional transport; and collaboration.
“Across the three days, a range of impressive speakers will share best practice and give advice on a new way of thinking on both strategic and operational issues,” says Adrian Tatum, conference director at Traffex and Parkex 2017.
The new Highways and Transport theatre and the Traffex theatre will see over thirty free-to-attend seminars across the three days of the exhibition, providing the opportunity to discuss a whole range of current road and transport issues
He continues: “High-profile keynote speakers at the conference include Jim O’Sullivan, CEO of Highways England, who will be examining the future challenges and opportunities of the strategic network, and Rupert Clubb, President of ADEPT, giving his professional insight into the future of the highways infrastructure.”
Also new for 2017 is Smart Street. Leading from the main exhibition floor to the Traffex Café, the Traffex Smart Street will display some of the most cutting-edge and innovative products in the industry today. By creating a realistic environment where exhibitors will display new technological, practical, and cost-effective safety solutions, Smart Street will showcase what is possible when transforming local urban surroundings, and for the future of UK roads.
On the main track
In the main hall, products, technologies, and services on show range from signage and high visibility materials, permanent and temporary signage, and driver feedback systems to software, intelligent systems, and highways management, and will feature many new and innovative products.
For example, traffic survey and management specialist, Tracsis, will be launching its new Tracsis Live Traffic System at this year’s Traffex.
Business development manager, Paul Jackson, explains why the company uses Traffex as a launch pad for new products: “Traffex gives direct access to industry professionals and provides an opportunity to showcase new technologies to a wide range of existing and future clients. For instance, it allows Tracsis to share the wider range of services we now offer and not just the core services they currently use from us.”
Other exhibitors include 3M UK, Lakeside Films, Glasdon UK, Messagemaker Displays, Rennicks (UK), Traffic Technology, and Westcotec Traffic Safety Systems.
3M UK will be showing a range of its high-performance materials and systems for road safety, including reflective sheeting for traffic signs, vehicle safety markings, road markings and its driver feedback, and ANPR technology. A major feature of 3M’s stand will be a demonstration tunnel to enable visitors to see for themselves the effectiveness of these products.
Lakeside Films also specialises in high performance reflective films for use on temporary and permanent traffic signs, emergency, and Chapter 8 vehicles. The range of products on show will include Avery Dennison’s fully certified products carrying CE accreditation as well as European technical approval where necessary.
Designer and manufacturer of highway safety and lighting products, Glasdon UK will be showcasing solutions for rural, urban, and suburban road and cycle path schemes. The range includes passively safe bollards, illuminated and retroreflective keep left bollards and traffic signs, verge marker posts, chevron systems, village gateway signs, and LED traffic sign downlighters. At Traffex 2017, the Glasdon Highway Safety team will be showcasing their latest range on a purpose built interactive stand to demonstrate the scope and application of the products, installation, and maintenance.
As well as highly technical products and technologies, Traffex also features many of the simpler forms of signage that are essential to ensuring safety of both vehicle drivers and pedestrians
LED sign and digital display supplier, Messagemaker Displays, offers traffic solutions that are highly visible, efficient, and flexible, to meet individual budget and requirements. The company will be showcasing the newest editions to its range: Speed Awareness Messaging (SAM) and Speed Limit Reminder (SLR). The SAM displays the speed of an approaching vehicle in real time while the SLR reminds motorists of the speed limit. Both products can be easily set up and installed without an engineer or tools.
Rennicks UK, part of the Rennicks Group, is one of the largest suppliers of traffic sign materials with fully compliant products, including hard-wired active road studs, full colour digitally printed traffic signs, and high definition tri-coloured mobile variable message signs. With the ever-increasing need to ease congestion and reduce the environmental impact on our roads, Rennicks UK has become a pioneer of road traffic management and the Rennicks Virtual Journey Time System (RVJTS), which the company claims is a first of its kind solution to the issue of journey time, has the ability to relay live messages to LED Mobile Variable Message Signs (MVMS) and keep people informed in order to improve safety and traffic flows.
Traffic Technology is a supplier of advanced traffic monitoring technologies, road safety equipment, traffic surveys, and services. Its vehicle and cycle monitoring systems provide data for organisations that encourage walking and cycling, by monitoring pathways and cycleways, while its pedestrian counting technology offers a range of monitoring options for both retail and rural environments. Traffic Technology also supplies a range of road safety systems, including speed indicator signs (SIDs), cycle safety signs, and programmable speed warning signs, as well as the new user-friendly SpeedWatch system developed for community speedwatch teams.
With the sheer volume of traffic on our roads and in our town centres, intelligent traffic management systems are becoming increasingly important in ensuring smooth and safe flow of traffic
Westcotec Traffic Safety Systems specialises in Vehicle Activated Signs (VAS) and intelligent traffic safety systems. The family run company says it is proud to be one of a very few companies to have been awarded the CE mark for both its fixed and portable signs, which enabled Transport Scotland and Highways England approval including TOPAS Certification. Westcotec has also pioneered alternative energy with wind and solar options, available throughout most of its product range.
Getting the green light
If you need any further encouragement to visit Traffex 2017, Ian Hind, commercial direct at AGD, and Traffex and Parkex 2017 conference director, Adrian Tatum, provide some incentives.
Returning exhibitor and winner of the Traffex 25th Anniversary Innovation Award, AGD is a leading industry specialist dedicated to the design and manufacture of traffic detection.
O Factoid: In 1686, the first known Traffic Regulation Act in Europe is established by King Peter II
of Portugal. O
“Traffex is a key Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) show which gives traffic management bodies the chance to meet with other thought leaders in the ITS community,” comments Hind, adding: “It provides a forum to discuss and theorise on tomorrow’s strategies, so that they can develop the technologies and product solutions to support them.”
Visitors to Traffex 2017 will have access to 350 exhibitors, including some of the most forward-thinking technology companies in the world, providing an insight into the very best technology, products, and services the industry has to offer
Tatum asserts enthusiastically: “Traffex 2017 will deliver a unique insight into the very best technology, products and services the industry has to offer, all of which have a potential solution to some of the industry’s greatest challenges. Exhibitors at Traffex 2017 include some of the most forward-thinking technology companies in the world which helps provide a platform for more efficient ways of working,” he concludes.
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