[size=150]Non-Slip Manhole Covers[/size]
[size=150]Since MAG has taken a proactive stance in trying to improve the lot of
riders as well as defending biking from many ridiculous rules and
restrictions, we have championed many causes. One of these has been the
issue of slippery manhole covers.
Now you may have noticed how these covers are often sited near the crown of
a road where they are hard to avoid if coming off a roundabout into a road,
sometimes with other traffic sharing your exit and giving you no room for
last minute manoeuvre. Realistically we cannot expect councils to spend
countless millions nationwide re-locating all these covers to the kerb and
digging tunnels from them to the sewers they access. The second best option
therefore is to make sure that the covers are flush with the road and their
surfaces of are non-slip. This isn’t rocket science but it does take a
little effort to ensure installation meets minimum standards and that those
standards are maintained in use.
MAG stalwart Richard Stiling from Bristol MAG made this his personal
campaign and more recently MAG’s new Campaigns Manager David Short has
Taken up the baton and fielded it in the national forum.
Called GripTopTM, the new covers have been developed by Saint-Gobain
Pipelines, Europe¹s biggest manufacturer of access covers and gratings for
roads.
The dangers posed by traditional metal access covers have been highlighted
by MAG, which has campaigned for new standards for covers to include
in-service skid resistance and for non-slip covers to be fitted to roads.
MAG was successful in persuading Bristol city Council to fit non slip covers
on the Bristol City road network.
Daniel Débois of Saint-Gobain says: “As the market leader for these
products, we have responded by investing in the development of a safer
product.”
The new GripTopTM covers were launched at a high profile event in Bristol
where MAG Campaigns Manager, David Short and local MAG representative Andy
Derritt gave presentations on the hazards faced by motorcyclists because of
slippery inspection covers.
Before launching the covers onto the market, Saint-Gobain carried out an
extensive trial in Bristol. Working with Bristol City Council, the company
installed over 70 covers in the city’s Broadmead redevelopment project.
They were located on road surfaces subject to heavy traffic where bends and
traffic lights encourage acceleration and deceleration.
Mike Brewer, Senior Network Management Officer of Bristol City Council, and
his team reported: “We monitored the covers over a two-year period and there
were no instances of failure and there was no need for further treatment
despite heavy traffic. Feedback was excellent and we are confident that
GripTopTM will make a positive contribution to improving the quality and
safety of road surfaces in the future.”
Saint ¬Gobain Managing Director, Paul Minchin praised MAG for the excellent
campaign it had conducted getting the non slip covers fitted in Bristol.
MAG Campaigns Manager, David Short said, “This product marks a major
improvement for motorcycle safety and demonstrates the collective influence
MAG has in effecting change to improve motorcycling”.[/size]
Guy Gagen, DOCGB MAG rep