'TreeFend' Branches Out

Highway Care is pleased to announce the first UK installation of its latest product TreeFend.  TreeFend is a tree and post impact protection system that has been installed in December 2008 along the A167 dual carriageway, Chester-le-Street by Durham County Council Works Direct on behalf of their client.  Durham County Council, always at the forefront of new products and road safety initiatives required the TreeFend system to provide protection to motorists against hitting a protected tree which cannot be removed.

Due to the position of the tree and the space limitations with the existing barrier run, TreeFend offered the ideal solution.  According to Don Waller, Senior Highways Management Assistant, Durham County Council, “We are always looking for practical and innovative solutions where site restrictions mean we cannot use traditional methods of road safety construction.  In this case, as the tree was protected and on the line of the proposed full barrier run, TreeFend provided the ideal engineering, cost-effective answer.”

TreeFend is a non-continuous barrier with crash absorbing ends designed specifically for preventing vehicle impacts with individual or small groups of trees.  The wrap around installation of the system ensures errant vehicles are prevented from impacting the hazard and safely redirected.

TreeFend has been successfully tested to EN1317 – 2.  The system can provide protection against other hazards including posts or lighting columns and can be extended up to a length of 20 metres for shielding larger groups of obstructions.