#Industry News
IS IT THE END OF THE ROAD FOR CAT’S EYES IN BRITAIN?
UK Government Announces Plans to Amend Road Legislation: Will LED Studs Now Become The Norm?
Cat’s eyes have been used as a safety feature on our roads since the middle of the last century, and anyone who has ever driven on an unlit road at night knows their value. However, in terms of design it is very likely original creator Percy Shaw would recognise today’s cat’s eyes, as they have changed so little since the 1930’s. But now Ministers in the UK are set to amend traffic legislation which will allow a new generation of solar powered LED road studs to be used on Britain’s roads that can be seen up to 1,000 yards (914 meters) away, ten times farther than cat’s eyes. Up until now traffic regulation has stipulated that “reflective roads studs” must be used which the industry believes has hindered the development of new technology.
LED lights have been used at some accident black-spots, but most of them still feature reflective strips which raises their cost and has also acted as a barrier to specialist companies looking to enter the UK market. UK Ministers are now examining ways these laws can be changed to allow the introduction of LED lights without reflective strips, after concluding that they offer “extended visibility” and “better performance in poor weather conditions“. The ministerial consultation has signaled that advances in technology mean reflective strips are surplus to requirement and LED studs, hardwired in tunnels or powered by the sun elsewhere, are an adequate replacement.
Is Astucia is one company that already supplies the new type of LED road studs. It’s product SolarLite can already be found on some sections of British roads as they include a reflective stripe. They possess a battery that is able to store up to 200 hours worth of charge, and therefore can operate even on days when there is little sun, conditions which are not unusual in the UK. They have a retail price of USD$46 (£30) and a lifespan of between eight and ten years. In contrast cat’s eyes cost a third of the price, but must replaced within two or three years.
