All road studs installed in/on public roads in Europe must be tested and comply with the standard EN 1463 parts 1 and 2.
The formal definition of a standard is a “document, established by consensus and approved by a recognized body that provides, for common and repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities or their results, aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context”. Standards are voluntary which means that there is no automatic legal obligation to apply them. However, laws and regulations may refer to standards and even make compliance with them compulsory.
In the UK road studs must legally comply to the European standard as well as complying with the Traffic Signs Regulation and General Directions (TSRGD) 2016 legislation. For more information about road stud standards click here. A download of TSRGD 2016 is available here.
http://www.cencenelec.eu/standards/DefEN/Pages/default.aspx
Road safety is high on the agenda of government’s worldwide meaning the market for road studs is big business. The actual figures for installed road studs is difficult to estimate but must run in the hundreds of millions North America has the largest market share our last figures show sales of surface mounted road studs in that region in excess of 46 million and milled in/snow plough types in excess of 11 million. The UK is second with over 12 million units installed. Global increases can be attributed to sales in the Irish Republic, new member states of the European Union, the Far East and Central and South America.
Road studs are available for temporary or permanent installation and with ongoing innovation have become more technically proficient giving engineers and contractors a much wider choice.
Performance: road studs classed as passive are retro-reflecting only returning reflex when hit by light from an external source. Classed as active they are light emitting or light emitting and retroreflective.
Fixing method: inset in a housing/casting they can be depressible or non-depressible, or surface mounted.
Reflector type: basic glass or engineered micro prismatic, they can also be protective coated or non-coated.
2016 is the 80 year anniversary of the original road stud invention by Percy Shaw and although the original “cats-eye” as it became commonly known is still held in high regard, road studs have come a long way from the original invention.
In today’s demanding world engineers and contractors have differing requirements from the road studs they use depending on the needs of their contract and safety standards. We know everything there is to know about the choice available, their use and the legislation they have to comply with. Let us guide you through the decision process. Roadcraft Safety Products Ltd have the all the product knowledge and industry experience required to help ensure you make a successful choice which meets all your criteria and we’re only a click or a phone call away.
