Skip to main content

Barnshaws’ curved steel post aids motorway traffic flow

UK company Barnshaws Metal Bending is supplying curved steel posts as part of a motorway sign designed to improve traffic flow on the UK’s new smart motorways. Smart motorways enable the hard shoulder to be used at peak times, creating a temporary fourth lane. Variable message signs (MS4) attached to the curved tubular steel post developed by Barnshaws display information for motorists, including when the hard shoulder is available for use. The design has resulted in faster installation of the signs
August 1, 2014 Read time: 1 min
UK company Barnshaws Metal Bending is supplying curved steel posts as part of a motorway sign designed to improve traffic flow on the UK’s new smart motorways.


Smart motorways enable the hard shoulder to be used at peak times, creating a temporary fourth lane.  Variable message signs (MS4) attached to the curved tubular steel post developed by Barnshaws display information for motorists, including when the hard shoulder is available for use.

The design has resulted in faster installation of the signs and less disruption to traffic during installation and maintenance.

Related Content

  • February 2, 2012
    Variable message signs continue to deliver travel information
    Arguably the 'face' of ITS, variable message signs are far from being a passing solution
  • September 4, 2015
    Smart motorways make sense, says FTA
    The implementation of smart motorways in Northern Ireland would make economic, environmental and safety sense, according to the Freight Transport Association (FTA) today. Responding to a study commissioned by the roads authority, TransportNI, which outlines the proposal of the M1 and M2 in and out of Belfast becoming smart motorways, FTA stated that freight operators would see benefits in the introduction, economically, environmentally and would improve safety on the routes.
  • June 2, 2015
    AMG camera technology implemented on major motorways
    UK manufacturer of CCTV transmission systems, AMG, has completed the supply of a range of hybrid transmission systems for P&D Specialist Services for the M1, M3, M60 and M62 motorways to ensure safe traffic flow during roadworks. A total of 329 cameras has been installed over 99 kilometres of the motorways, including a 35 kilometre stretch of the M60/M62 as part of the Manchester smart motorways scheme. A new project to introduce a stretch of managed motorway on a 23 kilometre section of the M1 betwe
  • July 17, 2017
    UK motorway gets first ‘orange’ smart motorway emergency area
    The first new-style smart motorway emergency area, where drivers can stop in an emergency, is being trialled on the M3 motorway in Surrey. Highways England is trialling the redesigned emergency area in response to public concern about smart motorways. It has a highly visible orange road surface and better signs to help improve its visibility make it more obvious to drivers on smart motorways. It is also hoped that it will encourage drivers to only use them in emergency situations. The first of the new emerg