What are the standard speed cushion dimensions?

Speed cushions, also known as speed tables, are speed-limiting devices used in high-traffic areas but must meet standard speed cushion dimensions for functionality.

This is for a reason: too high or too low-speed cushions are not user-friendly and negatively impact road traffic. Therefore, find the right dimensions before choosing speed cushions for your street, road or highway.

In this competitive market, you may find several speed cushions varying in length, width and height. But making the right choice as per speed cushions regulations and standard guidelines is mandatory.

So, find standard UK dimensions and see important factors to consider for getting approval.

What are the standard speed cushion dimensions?

Speed cushions are highly effective and appropriate speed-reducing and traffic-calming measures. The speed cushions or speed tables are installed on the roads and streets following the policy provision to ensure drivers, passengers and pedestrians’ safety.

Proper installation also discourages frustration and encourages road safety with speed limit signs, traffic control signs, regulatory signs, signs and markings, flashing red signs or signals, and street signs.

In order to slow traffic or give traffic directions, speed cushions must be in accordance with the UK traffic rules, meeting the criteria of the transportation department.

Standard UK speed cushion dimensions

See below details:

• UK speed cushion length: 8-10 feet (2,000-3,000 mm) long.

• UK speed cushion width: 6-7 feet (1,800 mm -2,100mm) wide.

• UK speed cushion height or thickness: 3 inches (65 mm) thick.

Speed cushions should be designed to the following criteria

See below some details:

• Speed table slopes should not exceed 1:10 or less steep as less than 1:25.

• The vertical side must not be more than a quarter-inch high.

• Slopes on taper sides should not exceed 1:6.

Speed cushions are designed for bicyclists, motorists, busses, ambulances and emergency vehicles and have distinctive materials. These materials also have maintenance responsibilities, but making them reflective and visible is important.

Always choose cushions designed with standard dimensions, as you don’t need to exchange them with others quickly.

Additionally, speed cushion dimensions, materials and installation matter for dynamic speed. The speed cushions higher than recommended dimensions cause accidents and crashes with greater collision risk, leading to higher fatalities, particularly on the highway.

The intelligent transport system also depends on traffic control devices, speed humps, ramps, road bumps, speed breakers, humps, and their dimensions. So, don’t let them go unnoticed when making the right choice.

How do speed cushions increase emergency response?

The emergency response is the ability of fire trucks and ambulances to respond to any natural or accidental disaster. Mostly, several lives are lost due to the delayed emergency response.

Therefore, traffic authorities, traffic engineers, and transportation departments advise speed cushion installation on their routes.

Another contributing factor to increasing their response when crossing emergency vehicles is the impact and enforcement on the wheels.

Speed cushions are specially designed to impact the vehicles with a slight hump minimally. The size of heavy vehicles’ axles is more than the width of speed cushions that help them to straddle on the road.

On the contrary, other speed-calming devices like speed humps or bumps jolt vehicles and decrease their response rate.

Similarly, buses carrying passengers or trucks with sensitive materials remain safe without sudden jolts. So, if your pathway or driveway has huge traffic, ensure no one gets hurt or injured.

Instead, increase their response to reach the destination with the least distractions, which is only possible with excellent speed cushions.

What are important factors to consider for speed cushions approval?

There are many factors that add value to the speed cushion approval petition. When considering all aspects, getting approval becomes easy.

Speed cushions must not obstruct drainage

As city streets, roads, driveways, crosswalks, parking lots, school zones, work zones and other residential areas have dedicated routes for drainage to make water flow easily and speed cushions must be installed with proper spacing to the whole system.

Streets also convey stormwater not contained in the underground pipes, swales, channels, etc., so obstruction in drainage is not allowed. There should be at least two feet of spacing between speed cushions and the curbs, allowing the gutters and pipes to flow water smoothly.

So, considering speed cushions with proper drainage specifications is essential.

Careful about the traffic

The location of the street, oncoming traffic, traffic speed, and traffic flow also matter, as plenty of speed proves to be hazardous.

The best option is to use speed cushions to slow down speeding vehicular traffic. So, sites getting high traffic are more vulnerable to accidents and chances of getting approval are increased.

Required authorizations

Neighbourhood, property owner’s rights, and their convenience play a particular part in the approval of speed cushion installation.

Speed cushions must not cause discomfort and challenges to the residents so that everyone is safe, comfortable and responsive with the help of speed cushions.

Operational characteristics of the city streets

For example, miles per hour speed and traffic volume must be enough to have speed cushions. As speed cushions lower the speed and help in speed control, on average, the vehicle’s speed must exceed the speed criteria of 30 mph or more.

An adequate number of bicycles, fire trucks, emergency vehicles, and motor vehicles make approval easy. It is also obvious that a street with no traffic has nothing to do with traffic control devices.

What are the recommended sites to install speed cushions?

The speed cushion installation with signage, traffic signals, speed signs, stop signs, parking signs, pedestrian signals, speed limit signs, warning signs, and sign-posts are recommended to be installed at high traffic, high-speed and vulnerable areas.

Whether it is a street, road, highway, or any public or private driveway where there is traffic, speed cushions are vital.

The traffic hotspots include roads leading to schools, workplaces, hospitals, airports, railroads and other jam-packed areas.

In the school zone, children, kids, adults and older people have an influx daytime and are around all day, so preventing any hazardous circumstances with recycled rubber, concrete, or asphalt speed cushions helps save lives.

Calm traffic makes unsafe zones as slow zones and lessens the severity of crashes to ensure traffic management and traffic control plans.

Police enforcement, highway administration authorities and other transportation departments also have less pressure in controlled traffic and fewer hazardous roads.

Similarly, roundabouts, uncontrolled intersections, cut-through roads, and parking lots are other areas with huge traffic volumes. In excessive vehicles, the chances of vehicular collision are maximized.

Teenagers are especially addicted to travelling at speed and are ignorant of the hazards. They keep the speed high, ignoring signs, signals and road markings.

Conclusion

Speed cushions accompanied with proper lighting such as traffic lights, street lights, flashing yellow lights, stop lights, traffic lights, signal lights, and flashing red lights make them highly visible.

Pavement markings, yellow arrows, reflective tapes, road markings, and other signs add to their visibility to ensure controlled traffic.

Speed cushion dimensions with correct installation also lower the speed of overspending vehicles.

So, if you moved to a new property or traffic is diverted to your road due to road construction or other construction projects, ensure everyone’s safety by installing calming speed cushions.