Kerbing Maintenance
29/09/2005

A great deal of focus has been placed on the quality of street design and improving our urban landscape. Fuelled now by the excitement and opportunity of the Olympic win, scores of people will be coming into our capital and as a result our streets have never before been under such scrutiny.

Kerbs are an essential part of the road structure and the use of high visibility containment kerbs is a practical and sensible precaution that can serve multiple purposes. There is, of course, a wide range of kerb products available to choose from and getting maximum effectiveness relies on specifying the right type of kerb for each individual installation.

Safety is paramount when designing or improving existing road schemes. The Government’s Road Safety Strategy is well underway to meet its targets to cut the number of road deaths and injuries by 2010, which is currently 3000 every year. The use of containment kerbs in their simplest form provides a safe environment for pedestrians and motorists by keeping pedestrians and vehicles apart and controlling traffic flows.

Protecting pedestrians is the top priority, however traffic islands, verges, roundabouts and signage also need to be protected from vehicle impact and reduce the chance of driver and passenger injuries. The Trief Kerb, an impact resistant containment product is a proven and effective solution for safeguarding vulnerable areas by creating a strong visual warning to deter drivers and prompt them to steer away from the kerb. Visibility can be increased for particularly hazardous areas by using a black and white Chevron pattern that is extremely effective and highly visible from a distance.

Containment kerbs keep vehicles on the straight and narrow preventing them from accidentally encroaching onto pavements and from parking in areas they should not be. Should a vehicle accidentally veer towards the kerb the concave recess traps the bulge in tyre sidewalls, preventing the vehicle from climbing it. The vehicle is then directed back onto the carriageway in a line dictated by the kerb, minimising danger to traffic, other traffic flows and pedestrians.

In addition to the safety benefits, high visibility kerbs can have a significant impact on traffic management schemes. Calming measures such as roadside vertical deflections and pedestrian refuges all contribute to smoothing the flow of traffic and easing congestion to ensure a greater level of safety on our roads.
As millions of pounds are spent on the upkeep and improvement of public roads each year, maintenance and life cycle costings are obviously important. A well designed specialised kerb may cost more than a standard kerb initially but should in the long term prove a cost effective option. With the minimal maintenance costs that products such as the Trief Kerb incur, it goes a long way to reduce repairs as well as keep the roads safer.

Trief Kerb is available in different finishes to help create the required results. The standard finish provides a natural and smooth matt surface while a specially prepared textured surface has a more aged appearance to complement existing environments such as conservation and heritage locations.
With clever specification and if the products are used appropriately, kerbs can help improve safety for pedestrians and vehicles, protect structures and help improve the flow of traffic. This can play an instrumental part in improving public spaces and can provide a major step forward in the quality of street design.

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