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| 'Screaming' motorway traffic cones to protect workers | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| "Screaming" traffic cones are to be used on motorways across England to protect road crews. | |
| The cones are fitted with an alarm that "will literally scream" when the cone is struck, the Highways Agency said. | The cones are fitted with an alarm that "will literally scream" when the cone is struck, the Highways Agency said. |
| The yellow-topped, "lighthouse" style wailers alert road workers to the danger of vehicles coming too close. | The yellow-topped, "lighthouse" style wailers alert road workers to the danger of vehicles coming too close. |
| The agency said they will mainly be used on motorways, meaning students or other traditional cone nemeses are likely to be kept at bay. | The agency said they will mainly be used on motorways, meaning students or other traditional cone nemeses are likely to be kept at bay. |
| The cones were unveiled by the agency near Perry Barr in Birmingham. | The cones were unveiled by the agency near Perry Barr in Birmingham. |
| "We will only use them at certain localities, such as motorways or critical road works," a spokesman said. | "We will only use them at certain localities, such as motorways or critical road works," a spokesman said. |
| "We wouldn't expect people to be able to get close to them. | "We wouldn't expect people to be able to get close to them. |
| "Local authorities may use them for pothole repairs or similar, but they are still being rolled out." | "Local authorities may use them for pothole repairs or similar, but they are still being rolled out." |
| 'Crew alarms' | 'Crew alarms' |
| A spokesman from manufacturers Intellicone said "an ordinary orange cone lantern" is placed on a red and white cone and when they are struck it is picked up by a yellow "portable site alarm" sensor. | A spokesman from manufacturers Intellicone said "an ordinary orange cone lantern" is placed on a red and white cone and when they are struck it is picked up by a yellow "portable site alarm" sensor. |
| This transmits to "crew alarms" where road workers are operating to alert them to the potential danger. | This transmits to "crew alarms" where road workers are operating to alert them to the potential danger. |
| The firm said there can be an unlimited number of alarms and they can transmit "as far as you like". | The firm said there can be an unlimited number of alarms and they can transmit "as far as you like". |
| The agency said eight workers have been killed in the last three years while maintaining England's road network. | The agency said eight workers have been killed in the last three years while maintaining England's road network. |
| "At times, your protection is a plastic cone and your faith in the ability of the person at the wheel to keep it in lane," a Highways Agency spokesman said. | "At times, your protection is a plastic cone and your faith in the ability of the person at the wheel to keep it in lane," a Highways Agency spokesman said. |
| "Where roadworks have narrow lanes they are 3.25 metres wide. An HGV is typically up to 2.5m wide. | "Where roadworks have narrow lanes they are 3.25 metres wide. An HGV is typically up to 2.5m wide. |
| "That's less than 40cm spare either side - about the width of the computer screen you're reading this on." | "That's less than 40cm spare either side - about the width of the computer screen you're reading this on." |