Traffic Safety Sign number 10,000

TRAFFIC SAFETY systems manufacturer Westcotec has today announced delivery of its 10,000th sign. The active speed warning sign has been provided to Surrey County Council, where it has been installed at a location on the A31 Farnham Road in Guildford.

Nigel Pond, Surrey County Council’s road safety engineer, said Westcotect’s vehicle activated signs (VAS) has been shown to reduce collisions by 26 per cent when used on their own, and by 50 per cent or more at sites with an enforcement camera also installed. “We still have Westcotect signs which we bought in 2002 which are still working perfectly, so I can vouch fir their longevity and reliability,” he said.

Westcotec managaing director Chris Spinks said it was important to understand the specific needs of customers such as Surrey County Council. “We are very proud to see our 10,000 th sign now in operation, and we greatly value or working relationship with Surrey. “We work best when there is a good two-way exchange of knowledge, because we do not deliver off-the-shelf products.By working together, we get a better understanding of what’s required at a location and we will put forward the right sign for the job. It may not be the mlost expensive sign, but it will always be the most appropriate intervention for the customer’s specific needs.”

The company’s very first road safety sign was manufactured by founder Phil Hayton at the original site, a small lock-up unit in Dereham with just three members of staff. Since then headcount has grown to 26, with an annual turnover of more than £3 million. Team members now take orders from customers across the globe for the firm’s array of vehicle-activated signs.

The 10,000th sign represents a milestone not only in the company’s growth but also in its pioneering environmental policy. This is because for every sign sold, the company plants a tree in its own area of developing Norfolk forest.