The Significance of Colour in Traffic Cones: Understanding the UK Standards

Traffic cones are an essential part of road safety and are used to temporarily redirect traffic, mark out hazards, and protect workers and pedestrians. One important aspect of traffic cones is their colour, as this plays a significant role in communicating information to drivers and ensuring the cones are highly visible. In this blog, we will look at the significance of colour in traffic cones and the UK standards that govern their use.

In the UK, traffic cones must comply with the British Standard BS EN 13422:2004, which sets out the requirements for the design, construction, and performance of traffic cones. This standard defines the colours that are to be used for different types of cones, with the aim of providing clear and consistent information to road users.

The most commonly used colour for traffic cones is fluorescent orange-red (BS EN ISO 20471), which is highly visible and has good colour contrast with the surrounding environment. This colour is used for cones that are intended to mark out hazards, redirect traffic, and provide a visual barrier between drivers and workers or pedestrians.

Another important colour used in traffic cones is fluorescent yellow-green (BS EN ISO 20471), which is used to indicate that the cone is an obstacle to be passed on the left-hand side. This colour is used for cones that are positioned in the road to direct traffic around a hazard or a temporary obstacle, such as a broken-down vehicle.

In addition to these two main colours, traffic cones can also be white, black and yellow, or red and white, depending on their intended use. For example, white cones may be used to indicate a pedestrian crossing or to mark out a temporary parking space, while red and white cones may be used to indicate a fire exit or to mark out a no-parking area.

In conclusion, the use of different colours in traffic cones is a crucial aspect of road safety, as it helps to clearly communicate information to drivers and to ensure the cones are highly visible. By adhering to the UK standards, road workers and other users can be confident that the cones they are using are of a high quality and meet the required safety standards.