Crash barriers in Romania.

Crash barriers on a semi-dual carriageway in Romania.

Safety Barriers installed!

Driving on the A617 (the Mansfield bypass)  one couldn't help noticing the cycle/footway that ran along side it, but also that way was protected from motor vehicles by safety barriers.

Now this is good news.  Is is this a case of the only highways unit in this country taking the trouble to follow correct practice? 


I could have taken photos, but that would have meant my having to
 stop on a busy 'A' road.  I am sure that readers of this blog will be able to recognise a safety barrier by now, and how it should be installed., even if Kent Highways don't seem to be able to (as a general rule).  Here all forms of transport are given some protection, no one misses out.

Finberry

Dangerous Safety Barriers (again)

Dangerous to cyclists and pedestrians.

Re: The new housing development known as Finberry (Cheesman's Green)

 A nice new shared use route, but the barrier is in the wrong place. It it is obvious that if a motor vehicle 'looses-it' on the bend, then it would career into the barrier taking anything or anybody with it, crushing them against the barrier. Who designed this? What were they thinking? Don't the lives of pedestrians and cyclists count?

This is a new project, this is modern Britain, let us get it right for a change.

Put the barrier in the right place then it not only protects the most vulnerable, but it provides protection to motorists too.

It is cheaper to get it right the first time.

Ted Prangnell CTC, member of Living Streets and RoadPeace.

I would appreciate any feedback from interested parties please.

Accidentally correct.

Gosh! What have we here?  A crash barrier that actually protects cyclists and pedestrians,  BUT it ain't that clever because the barrier was put in place long before the cycleway was thought of. The fact that it is where it is, is purely accidental.

Vehicle Restraint Team

Vehicle Restraint Team

Driving along the A28 in Ashford some workmen were observed busy at the side of the road.  Their large white van was signwritten (with great pride):-  "VEHICLE RESTRAINT TEAM" 

What a grand title!   What they were actually doing was installing a crash-barrier.

So their brief is to 'restrain vehicles'  nothing to suggest that they should protect other road users.  Especially pedestrians.  Set-belts could come under the description of  "Vehicle Restraints".  National Highways also refer to 'road restraints', how does one restrain a road?

What about changing their name and job description  to "Protecting other road users and pedestrians"?

Restraining vehicles ought to mean: "Slowing them down" ought it not?

Brakes are restraints.
So are wheel clamps

Accidental implementation!

Accidental implementation!

Amazingly this crash barrier is protecting the path, but the path was created long after the crash-barrier was installed.

The Street, Mersham.

Safety barriers near Chilham

Safety barriers near Chilham

Safety barriers near Chilham on the busy A28.   This footway is also used (Shared space) by cyclists in the interests of their safety.

The question is:-   Was the crash-barrier put in to protect vehicles; i.e.: prevent M/Vs from going down a bank and crashing into houses, or was it put in place to protect pedestrians?  The answer could be; 'probably', but not with the well-being pedestrians as the prime concern.  Thankfully that has been the net result, i.e.: 'a spin-off'.

Here (looking in the opposite direction) one can see that the barrier protects houses as well, which is not a bad thing.

                                             In the terms of Crash Barriers, putting pedestrians first is unusual.