Signfix have supplied the Traffic Signs industry for over 25 years, firstly with their innovative sign fixing range which set the standard for all to follow.
The Sign Fixings range has been much copied over the years but still remains the most comprehensive and widely used product in the traffic sign industry.
Adding Sign Posts and signal poles to the company’s portfolio was an obvious route for Signfix and led to the company once again breaking new ground by being the first company to offer a Passive Safety product to the traffic sign market - Lattix.
However, Signfixings, Sign Posts and signal poles will remain as key structures within the groups product portfolio and are seen as the bedrock from which the Passive Safety movement developed.
To accommodate an MBO in 2003 Signfix became Signpost Solutions although the Signfix name remained as the brand name for the Signfixing range.
Signpost Solutions are now recognised as the market leader in all things related to traffic sign supports - signposts, Sign Fixings, signal poles and Passive Safety.
Passive Safety is now a regular consideration on all new road designs. It has been recognised as a key safety measure by the Highways Agency to assist in their well publicised 10 year accident reduction target.
Initially just encompassing traffic Sign Posts, Passive Safety has, within the last few years, been rolled out to include Lighting Columns, camera masts and in some instances Variable Message Signs and gantries.
Lattix was the first Passive Safety product installed in the UK and since the inaugural installation in 1995 Signpost Solutions have delivered over 7000 masts from which there has been in excess of 50 RTA’s involving the mast with no reported injuries.
Although considered to be a contradiction in terms, ‘Crash Friendly’ is the new nom de plume for Passively Safe street furniture such as Traffic Signs and Lighting Columns.
The expression ‘Crash Friendly’ evolved from a competition instigated by Ginny Clarke, the former head of safety at the Highways Agency. A number of similar descriptive phrases were entered but ‘Crash Friendly’ was chosen by a small committee of senior engineers from the Highways industry.
The unofficial web site for the industry, the ‘Passive Revolution’ followed up the decision by producing special Crash Friendly tape for fitting to such products that are not immediately recognised as being Crash Friendly or Passively Safe.
Passively Safe Signs were first introduced on the A4 in London by Signfix. The 1995 installation was followed a year later by the first Advance Direction Sign which was trialled in Cheshire by the County Council who were the first authority to realise the life saving potential of Passively Safe Signs.
However, this early success was short lived and although the Passive Safety product was well established in Scandinavia, the UK did not buy into the concept until the beginning of the new Millennium when Lattix Passively Safe Signs were installed on the prestigious A43 Towcester/Silverstone Bypass.
Since then there have been over 7000 Lattix masts installed with over 50 reported non injury accidents.
Lattix is now a regular sight on the UK Highway making the road much safer for the motoring public.
The success of Passively Safe Signs was instrumental in the HA adding Passively Safe Lighting Columns to the revised Advice Note TA89/05.
Passively Safe Lighting Columns are now being considered for many new Highway Schemes by the Highways Agency Managing Agent Contractors and are slowly coming to the attention of local and County street lighting engineers.
Passively Safe Lighting Columns offer similar safety benefits as signage with the added provision of High Energy potential on some types of construction such as KAPU poles.
High Energy (HE) poles are designed to deform on impact but will stop the vehicle rather than allow the vehicle to continue with relatively little retardation which is the hallmark of Non Energy products. HE poles are therefore suitable for any environment.
