Skip to main content

Swarco matrix signs help reduce bridge strikes at London hotspot

Six full colour full matrix electronic warning signs from Swarco Traffic have helped Network Rail and Transport for London (TfL) to reduce the number of oversized lorries hitting a railway bridge on London’s South Circular road by more than a third since being installed last summer. In the six-month period from January to July 2016 before the signs were introduced there were 11 crashes at the Thurlow Park Bridge in Tulse Hill. In the six months since their installation, there have only been seven inciden
March 7, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
Six full colour full matrix electronic warning signs from 129 Swarco Traffic have helped Network Rail and 1466 Transport for London (TfL) to reduce the number of oversized lorries hitting a railway bridge on London’s South Circular road by more than a third since being installed last summer.

In the six-month period from January to July 2016 before the signs were introduced there were 11 crashes at the Thurlow Park Bridge in Tulse Hill. In the six months since their installation, there have only been seven incidents, and only one in the last four months. At one point the bridge was being hit on average almost twice a month, causing more than 218 hours of delays to rail passengers between July 2015 and July 2016.

The signs are installed either side of the bridge, detecting vehicles that are too high and prompting an electronic warning to be displayed. They use energy-efficient LEDs for enhanced visual impact and to give early and clear information, particularly for non-English speaking drivers. The signs are integrated with TfL’s London Streets and Traffic Control Centre for full monitoring and control and, being variable, can be used to provide traffic information to road users.

Swarco’s optical solution reduces power consumption of the LEDs, which also means that the service life of other electrical and electronic components is extended and the LEDs do not suffer from any decrease in light intensity or colour change throughout their life cycle.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • London’s mayor launches bus safety programme
    February 2, 2016
    The Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL) have launched a world-leading programme to drive major improvements in safety across London's bus network, creating a six-point programme to reduce collisions and improve safety. The programme will bring together the newest technology, training, incentives, support, reporting and transparency right across the network, contributing to TfL's work towards meeting the mayor's target of halving the number of people killed or seriously injured on the capital's
  • Øresund bridges the front line for border crossing traffic
    September 15, 2016
    Timothy Compston considers the challenges faced by the operators of the Øresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden, the largest structure of its kind across Europe. In light of the concerns about the ongoing security threat and the unprecedented flow of migrants, many of the countries that make up the Schengen Area in Europe have re-introduced border controls. For its part, Sweden has rolled out ID checks for train, bus and ferry passengers from Denmark placing the landmark Øresund Bridge very much on the fr
  • Exchanging Places event causes cyclists to rethink their cycling habits
    February 21, 2014
    Almost everyone who got behind the wheel of a heavy goods vehicle at the London Bike Show said that the experience caused them to rethink the way they cycle. More than 850 cyclists took part in Exchanging Places run by Crossrail and the Metropolitan Police Service, which allows them to see the road from a lorry driver’s point of view and get a better understanding of what drivers can and cannot see. Most were unaware of the size of blind spots from inside the driver’s cab. Chief Superintendent Sultan
  • Digital twins promise no jam tomorrow
    June 6, 2024
    Every year, Transport for London helps make billions of road journeys congestion-free - but could it do better? Digital twin and graph technology are starting to make London less congested and greener, says database expert Aaron Holt