New motorway gantries will make it harder for eco-zealots to trespass
New motorway gantries designed to make it more difficult for eco-zealots to trespass
- Motorway gantries will be ‘more resilient to trespassers’ with hidden steps
- Gantries above M25 were often scaled by Just Stop Oil activists last November
- Read more: Bringing M25 to a halt ‘ruined’ Just Stop Oil activist’s life
Protesters will find it harder to climb motorway gantries built using a new design, National Highways said.
The roadside structures will be ‘more resilient to trespassers’ as steps for maintenance crews will be inside pillars rather than outside, according to the Government-owned company.
Gantries above the M25 were repeatedly scaled by Just Stop Oil activists in November last year, bringing traffic on the UK’s busiest motorway to a halt. The structures are used to display information to drivers, such as speed limits and warnings of safety hazards.
Protesters will find it harder to climb motorway gantries built using a new design, National Highways said. Pictured: A man thought to be Just Stop Oil protester Alfred Beswick climbed a gantry on the M25 on November 8
The roadside structures will be ‘more resilient to trespassers’ as steps for maintenance crews will be inside pillars rather than outside, according to the Government-owned company
National Highways, which is responsible for England’s motorways and major A roads, held a competition to replace existing designs. The winning entry was produced by London-based architecture company Useful Studio. It was selected for its ‘simplicity and elegance’.
The gantries will have a lower carbon footprint compared with current designs as they use less steel. Roads minister Richard Holden said: ‘[Useful Studio’s] innovative approach is bound to improve the journeys of motorists while also contributing to a more sustainable future.’
Useful Studio will work with National Highways to develop its design concept. It is expected to become the standard design for new gantries in around two years.
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