Better colour demarcation key to making Britain’s roads safer, says Aggregate Industries

It comes as latest figures show that almost 1,800 people are killed in reported road traffic accidents each year, with cyclists 15 times more likely to be fatally injured on the UK’s roads than other road users. And with confusing road signs and unclear road markings frequently cited as the cause of many roadside collisions, the Government has recently pledged an extra £150m for councils to improve local road junctions, as well as £2.4bn to create new bus, trams and cycling routes.

In light of this, leading construction materials supplier Aggregate Industries has advised that good planning and a standardised specification approach is essential for local authorities and contractors to deliver a safe network of additional bus, tram and cycle lanes.

Joanne Wilkins, Head of Business Development at Aggregate Industries, said: “With a record number of vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians on Britain’s roads, having clear and coherent road markings has never been more important in helping to prevent road traffic accidents. And given the UK’s ambitious plans to significantly raise the amount of people who walk, cycle or use public transport, the appropriate use of colour demarcation and lane segregation will play an ever-greater role in creating a local road network that everyone can use in the safest manner possible.

“At the heart of delivering this strategy will be joined-up planning and standardised specification. Britain currently has a somewhat disjointed network of different colours and a variety of materials, which can be confusing for drivers and cyclists to navigate. Only when we adopt a cohesive methodology to the construction of coloured lanes can we build a road network that’s safe for all to use.

“As leading asphalt materials supplier, our technical experts will work with specifiers, stakeholders and contractors alike, to achieve the correct colour specification by producing customised samples of coloured asphalt. In addition, we rigorously test the material to demonstrate its performance in typical road conditions, as well as providing invaluable advice on surfacing techniques.

Aggregate Industries’ market-leading SuperColour asphalt range boasts a wide choice of coloured asphalt surfaces, including reds, greens, blues and yellows, to name a few, with customisable samples available on request. To further protect cyclists, Aggregate Industries also offers award-winning cycle segregation units through its hard landscaping brand, Charcon. The solution requires less construction time on site; less traffic disruption while works are carried out; and a lowering of the project’s carbon footprint when compared with traditional segregation units.