Country / Region:
Holland, Noord-Holland Province
Application:
Hardwired Night Delineation
Location of installation:
N200 Overveen and Bloemendaal
Astucia Products:
Hardwired F Series Flush Studs
Project background:
Marc Vissers, Director of Intertraffic Systems B.V, the authorised Dutch distributor of Astucia (UK) Ltd. , who conducted the installation advised: “The active road studs from Astucia are proven to reduce accidents by providing information to drivers about the road ahead directly in their natural field of vision whilst at the same time keeping light pollution and life time operating costs to a minimum. On all stretches where the studs have been installed the accident rate has reduced to zero.”
The Netherlands Province of Noord-Holland has been awarded the Dutch Association for Lighting Knowledge’s (NSVV) National Light-award 2005 for the innovative way it has applied Astucia’s active marking road studs on the N200.
Commenting on the award, Noord-Holland Province project manager Paul Rutte said: “Since 1999 we have undertaken a number of trials with alternative lighting methods on a number of provincial roads, including roundabouts and cycle lanes. The Province goes for maximum safety, minimal light pollution and minimal energy consumption. We obtained a number of conclusions, firstly the active road marking represents an energy reduction of over 90 percent relative to conventional lighting especially as the installed studs are operated by loops in the road and thus only illuminate when necessary. Also that the safe distance between the hardwired studs is far greater than initially expected. It appears that an acceptable distance apart through bends on roads with a maximum speed of 80 Km/h can be 15 metres, and on straights up to 25 to 30 metres apart.”
The system is also installed near Castricum, Callantsoog, Akersloot, Amstelveen, Nieuw Vennep and Grootebroek. Rutte continued to say: “The Province will endeavour over the next three years on eliminating 20 dangerous (dark) road stretches with alternatives to conventional lighting. Active marking fills the gap between conventional lighting and no lighting at all.”
The NSVV collects and distributes on a national level all available knowledge on lighting, it concluded that thanks to the approach of the Province of Noord-Holland, The Netherlands takes a leading role at applying public lighting on roads. Also internationally this approach is widely appreciated. As yet there is no official guideline for active marking; however the NSVV has published the ‘Noord-Holland Recommendation for Active Marking’. This can be ordered through info@nsvv.nl
