Tata Steel wins highways contracts

Tata Steel Construction Products, the global manufacturer of steel solutions, has secured contracts to supply Vetex™ Highways Safety Barriers to two UK highways projects – road improvements to the A40 in Pembrokeshire, and essential maintenance work on the A1 – providing drivers with the highest levels of protection.

The Vetex system was developed by Tata Steel Highways using vehicle component experience and simulation technology to maintain high levels of containment and safety performance, whilst significantly improving installation times by reducing the number of system components by 90 percent - key factors influencing the specification of the system on both projects.

Safety performance was a key criterion for contractors Newton & Frost Fencing when it came to specifying the Vetex system as part of the A40 Penblewin to Slebech Park road improvement scheme. Commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government, the scheme incorporates a six mile bypass to removes heavy traffic from Robeston Wathen village – a notorious accident black spot.

Ted Croft, Contracts Director, Newton & Frost Fencing comments: ‘Accident rates on this stretch of the A40 are in excess of the national average, not least because of its narrowness and lack of pedestrian crossings. Having been tested to meet ‘Impact Severity Level’ grade A rating, installing Vetex gives real peace of mind to drivers who want to be assured of safety on highways.’

Vetex is also playing a key role in the successful delivery of a maintenance project on the A1 at Barnet requiring that 1800 metres of existing highway barrier is replaced. Ground conditions here pointed to the need for a surface mounted system. However, Vetex’s design requires fewer system components so the space between each post can be significantly increased – making it suitable for installation in any ground conditions.

Karl Petters, Director, Arbus comments: ‘Requiring fewer foundations, fitting the Vetex safety barrier is quick and easy - alternative barrier systems would have taken up to four times as long to install. In addition, as an untensioned assembly system, Vetex does not need regular maintenance, minimising lane closures and the associated traffic delays and costs. On busy stretches of road these benefits are invaluable, ultimately saving us money and road users inconvenience. Vetex is a system we specify time and again.’

Mark Wood, Sales Manager Tata Steel Highways, comments; ‘In the face of faster and heavier traffic on Britain’s motorways, safety barrier systems have had to evolve. Vetex has been at the forefront of thrusting safety barrier design into the 21^stcentury, and represents a major step up in safety performance, installation and maintenance.

‘Steel does not require extensive foundations or drainage and, with a reduced number of components and increased post spacing, installation is far quicker. In addition, the Vetex system uses galvanized steel which protects it against the elements – minimising routine maintenance requirements, to offer excellent whole life value.’