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did you know?

 

Every year there are some 200 accidents in the UK in which vehicles have breached the central reservation steel barrier. These crossover incidents result in an average fatality rate of 40 deaths per year.

 

According to government figures each fatality, in purely financial terms, costs in excess of £1 million. The existing Concrete step barrier sections in the UK have not been breached to date. Concrete step barrier will save lives and substantial sums of money in the process.

 

Steel barrier along the M25 requires about 1200 repairs each year. The average cost of each repair is over £2000. The annual cost of the steel central reservation barrier on the M25 alone exceeds £3 million each year.

 

Surveys on the M25 showed that there were 70% fewer reported accidents alongside the concrete step barrier compared with steel.

 

The concrete step barrier has been tested to contain a 13 tonne bus. Steel barrier has been tested to contain only a 1.5 tonne car.

 

All barriers are tested to establish their Acceleration Severity Index (ASI). This indicates the likely injury level that vehicle occupants will incur in a serious impact. The higher the rating, the greater the risk. Concrete step barrier has a low ASI of 1.4 and, compared with steel barrier, provides a far higher level of vehicle containment.

 

Concrete step barrier is produced by a sophisticated mechanised process. Fresh concrete is poured in the front and moulded out of the reverse as a finished concrete step barrier standing ready to use. This is produced at a continuous rate of up to 500 metres per machine, per 12-hour shift. Unlike steel, there is no manual handling of excessively heavy items.

 

Many recycled products can be used in the construction of new concrete step barrier. Previously used concrete and aggregates can be crushed to form part of the new material being formed to create the step barrier. The step barrier itself can also be recycled.

 

Steel barrier is coated in zinc galvanising. This zinc dissolves away over time and collects in water systems. Concrete step barrier has no coating and will not produce any chemical residues, safe or unsafe, to be passed into the water table.