Highway Care’s SwiftGate automated taper deployment system received the Worker and Site Safety Initiative Award at the 2024 Highways Awards and has received endorsement for use on the road network in England and Wales by the Department for Transport (DfT), after a successful trial with Kier Transportation in Surrey.
First of its kind in the UK, the automated horizontal gate system was designed and manufactured by Versilis with guidance from the experts at Highway Care to bring it to align to UK standard. With support from National Highways’ Innovation Designated Funds programme – a ring-fenced pot to help maximise the opportunities offered by technologies such as automated vehicles – Highway Care teamed up with National Highways and Kier Transportation to trial the innovation. It was shortlisted for three Highways Awards – Worker and Site Safety Initiative Award, Best use of Technology and Product of the Year.
After being deployed on both approaches to the Hindhead Tunnel on National Highways’ A3 road for a successful trial, SwiftGate is now onto its final stage of development, producing the relevant guidance documentation to enable wider industry use.
Highway Care worked with its partners to develop the SwiftGate system for the UK market, engaging with the Department for Transport to establish modifications required. Some of these modifications included: the primary colour, which was changed to white and a sequential circular amber lamp which was added on the edge of the gate, creating a system with the same visual language as standard UK TM equipment.
Ben Duncker, Commercial Director at Highway Care commented:
“National Highways approval is an important step forward in making lane closures safer. If used in combination with our Falcon Automated Cone Laying Machine (ACLM) and gantry signage, SwiftGate could contribute to a completely boots off the ground solution that keeps road workers out of harm’s way, and we are delighted that the system’s safety benefits have been recognised at the Highways Awards.”
For further details about Highway Care see highwaycare.com