Award for Moveable Barrier

The Quickchange Moveable Barrier (QMB) system has been awarded Highways Magazine’s Innovative Maintenance Product of the Year. The system was proposed by InterRoute for their joint collaboration with the Highways Agency and Highway Care in using the system to implement the A21 Crawler Lane widening scheme.

The Highways Magazine Excellence Awards recognise projects across the country whose vision, belief and determination have brought a product or service to the market that has initiated a “Change of Thought” through its emergence. The award demonstrates the dedication and commitment shown by all involved to improve road safety and construction scheme efficiency.

The use of the QMB during the A21 widening contract allowed the work to be completed more quickly than if a conventional barrier had been used. The QMB allows a special reactive tension barrier to be moved, via a transfer machine, from one lane to another at speeds up to 8mph several times a day. The works can therefore be designed to maximise road space for either the contactor or the general public at different times of the day according to traffic flows.

The system uses a Barrier Transfer Machine that position the barrier according to peak time traffic flow, this maximises the work area available during the contract. The barrier is fully tested to EN1317-2 Test Level H2, offering high containment and low deflection that allows for traffic flows to be maintained while ensuring safety to both road workers and the motorist. The QMB has been used for over 15 years worldwide and has a proven track record of dependable performance and reliability.