Vehicle safety zone

Abstract

A vehicle safety zone 10 comprises a first road section 11 and a second road section 12 at least partially separated by a barrier 13. The second road section has a smaller axle load capacity than the

Description

This invention relates to a safety zone for a vehicle travelling on a highway and, in particular, a safety zone for smaller vehicles such as cars. Hard shoulders are sections of road which run alongside a carriageway such as a motorway or major road to provide a safe area for drivers who need to leave the main roads should they encounter a problem with their vehicle, such as a breakdown. Drivers do not tend to use the hard shoulder otherwise. It is also well known that emergency services use hard shoulders of motorways to bypass the main traffic stream to get to emergencies sooner. The hard shoulder is typically located on the outermost sides of the carriageways. In many instances of hard shoulders, a barrier is provided on the outermost edge of the hard shoulder which is in place to prevent vehicles leaving the motorway entirely, as well as obstructing or partially obstructing pedestrians, wildlife or unwanted objects making their way onto the motorway. In the United Kingdom and other countries, many motorways, highways and other major roads have been converted into “smart motorways”. Smart motorways are known to improve traffic flow by having All-Lane-Running (ALR) carriageways and no hard shoulder. In comparison to a typical motorway and hard shoulder arrangement, smart motorways provide an extra lane to be used by traffic (not just in emergency circumstances) thus reducing congestion and tend to be cheaper and faster to construct. Thus, smart motorways have provided a cheaper and quicker alternative to widening existing motorways rather than constructing an additional lane for traffic, plus providing a hard shoulder. However, as smart motorways have become more widely used, various problems have arisen with regard to the safety of drivers. In particular, there is no dedicated area for drivers to stop if their vehicle suffers a complication or breakdown. This problem also arises with many other roads which do not have a hard shoulder, but which otherwise have a barrier to the outermost edge of the carriageway. Additionally, in periods of heavy traffic congestion, emergency vehicles will struggle, on smart motorways or other roads, to move past traffic to arrive at the scenes of accidents. It is also known that, in the event of a vehicle breakdown or collision on a smart motorway, the drivers of larger vehicles with greater loads such as Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) are less likely to be harmed than drivers of smaller loads such as cars, small mobile homes, some with attached trailers. It would therefore be desirable for there to be a way to provide refuge, to drivers of smaller vehicles on all main highways that are of low cost and are quick to construct. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle safety zone, comprising a first road section, a second road section adjacent to the first road section and a barrier partially separating the first and second road sections, wherein the second road section has a smaller axle load capacity than the first road section. According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle safety zone, comprising a first road section, a second road section adjacent to the first road section, the second road section comprising one or more construction materials for a road surface, and a barrier partially separating the first and second road sections, wherein the second road section has a smaller axle load capacity than the first road section. The second road section may comprise one or more construction materials for a road surface. The second road section may comprise a layer of concrete. The second road section may comprise a reinforcement grid. The reinforcement grid may be disposed within the concrete layer. The reinforcement grid may be disposed between 85% and 90% into the depth of the concrete layer. The second road section may comprise a vegetation restriction barrier cloth layer. The second road section may comprise a damp proof course. The barrier may be formed of a plurality of barrier portions which extend along one or more lengths of the first and second road sections such that a space between barrier portions provides a gap for a vehicle to move from one road section to another. The barrier may comprise two barrier portions and there is a gap provided between the two barrier portions. The barrier may comprise a plurality of barrier portions and a gap is provided between each barrier portion. For a particular gap, the downstream end of the barrier portion may angled upwards from a top surface of the first road section in the downstream direction. For a particular gap, the upstream end of the barrier portion may angled downwards towards the gap in the downstream direction. The barrier may include one or more of a metal beam, a concrete block and a grass verge. The axle load capacity of the second road section may be less than or equal to 4000 kg per axle. The first road section may be an inside lane on a vehicle highway. A first portion of the second road section may comprise a surface course above the concrete layer. A second portion of the second road section may comprise an upper surface above the concrete layer. The surface course of the first portion may be smoother than the upper surface of the second portion such that a vehicle travelling in the second road section can accelerate along the first portion before moving to the first road section. The upper surface of the second portion may be rougher than the top surface of the first road section such that a vehicle travelling in the first road section can decelerate along the second portion after moving to the second road section. The first portion of the second road section may be located upstream of a gap in the barrier portions. The second portion of the second road section may be located downstream of a gap in the barrier portions. The vehicle safety zone may further comprise a second barrier extending along the second road section on the opposite side to the barrier which separates the first and second road sections. According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of constructing a vehicle safety zone adjacent to a first road section, the method comprising: building a second road section next to the first road section, the second road section having a smaller axle load capacity than the first road section and providing a barrier to partially separate the first road section and second road section. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of constructing a vehicle safety zone adjacent to a first road section, the method comprising: building a second road section next to the first road section, the second road section comprising one or more construction materials for a road surface and having a smaller axle load capacity than the first road section and providing a barrier to partially separate the first road section and second road section. BRIEF DESCRIPTION ON THE FIGURES The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 shows a plan view of a vehicle highway comprising a vehicle safety zone. Figure 2 shows a plan view of a vehicle safety zone. Figure 3 shows a layered structure of a road section of a vehicle safety zone. Figure 4 shows a side view of a barrier of a vehicle safety zone Figure 5 shows a side view structure of a barrier of a safety zone DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and is provided in the context of a particular application. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. The general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and application without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. Figure 1 illustrates a section of a motor highway 1 comprising a plurality of lanes 2 and 3. Arrow 4 indicates direction of travel for vehicles travelling on lanes 2a to 2d. Arrow 5 indicates direction of travel for vehicles travelling on lanes 3a to 3d. A central reservation 6 is positioned between lane 2d and 3d where the direction of travel changes. The central reservation reduces risk of vehicles travelling in opposite directions from crashing into each other. Located adjacent to the outermost edge of the highway is vehicle safety zone 10. That is, the vehicle safety zone 10 is located furthest away from the central reservation 6. A portion of the vehicle safety zone is the inside lane 2a. The inside lane 2a may be the lane furthest away from the central reservation 6. The inside lane is typically the lane on the highway which is dedicated to vehicles travelling at lower speeds such that vehicles travelling at higher speeds may pass by the inside lane in the other lanes which are closer to the central reservation. In a highway system where there are two directions of traffic separated by a central reservation, the inside lane is the lane furthest away from the central reservation. For example, in the United Kingdom where vehicles drive on the left-hand side of the road and most vehicles are right-hand drive models, the inside lane is the left-most of the road. For highways which do not comprise a central reservation but at a plurality of lanes travelling in the direction of arrow 4 and a plurality of lanes travelling in the direction of arrow 5, the inside lane is the lane travelling in the direction of arrow 4 which is furthest away from the lanes travelling in direction of arrow 5. Figure 2 illustrates the vehicle safety zone 10, comprising a first road section 11. Direction of travel of vehicles on the first road section is indicated by arrow 4. Vehicle safety zone 10 also comprises a second road section 12 adjacent to the first road section 11. In other words, the second road section 12 may extend next to the direction of travel of the first road section 11. The path of the second road section 12 may extend next to the path of the first road section 11. The direction of travel on the second road section of the vehicle safety zone is generally in the same as direction of traffic on the first road section 11, with the exception being emergency vehicles or roadside assistance vehicles travelling in the opposite direction of travel such that they can reach an incident on the highway or vehicle safety zone sooner. The first road section 11 may have a width suitable for four wheeled motor-vehicles and larger vehicles (such as buses, lorries and “abnormal load” vehicles) to drive along. The second road section 12 may also have a width suitable for vehicles to drive along. The second road section may have a width to accommodate the width of a motor vehicle such as a car or van. That is, the second road section may be configured to accommodate a four-wheeled vehicle. Although cyclists are prohibited from using motorways in the United Kingdom, on many roads across the country, cyclists are permitted to travel along the same road as the other traffic, such as cars, motorcycles and lorries. Additionally or alternatively, a bicycle lane may be allocated for cyclists to travel on. A bicycle lane is a lane separated to the main road by a barrier or painted line which is dedicated to the travel of bicycles only, and therefore is sized to accommodate only bicycles. For example, the width of a standard bicycle lane in the United Kingdom is typically 1.2m to 1.5m and the average width of a small car in the United Kingdom is approximately 1,6m. As such, cars and any larger vehicles are restricted from using the bicycle lane. Thus, the width of the second road section 12 may be greater than the width of a bicycle lane. For example, the width of the second road section 12 may be at least 1.6m. Motorcycles with an engine size at least 50 cc are permitted to use motorways in the United Kingdom. Motorcycles generally tend to have widths greater than a pedal-driven bicycle, but smaller than most four wheeled vehicles. Therefore, the second road section 12 may be configured to accommodate bicycles, motorcycles and four-wheeled motorised vehicles. In the United Kingdom, the typical width of a motorway lane is 3.65m, and for roads of lower traffic, the minimum width of a single track lane is 2.5m. Therefore, the width of the second road section 12 may be at least 2.5m. The width of the second road section 12 may be greater than 3.0m. The width of the second road section 12 may be greater than 3.5m. The width of the second road section 12 may be greater than 3.65m. The width of the second road section 12 may be greater than 4.0m. Although it is shown in Figures 1 and 2 where the second road section 12 of the vehicle safety zone 10 has a constant width along its direction of travel, it should be understood that along one or more portions along the vehicle safety zone 10, the width of the second road section 12 may be at least two car-widths. This may allow emergency vehicles to overtake or pass a vehicle in the vehicle safety zone 10. The vehicle safety zone 10 also comprises a barrier 13 between the first road section 11 and second road section 12. The barrier 13 may be located along the edge of the first road section 11 closest to the second road section 12. The path of the barrier 13 may extend next to the first road section 11. Additionally or alternatively, the path of the barrier 13 may extend next to the second road section 12. The barrier 13 may separate the first road section 11 and second road section 12 along portions of the road sections. That is, along portions where the barrier 13 separates the first road section 11 and second road section 12, the barrier 13 reduces risk of a vehicle travelling on the first road section 11 from crossing over to the second road section 12, and the barrier 13 also reduces risk of a vehicle travelling on the second road section 12 from crossing over to the first road section 11. The barrier 13 partially separates the first road section 11 and second road section 12. That is, the barrier 13 may extend along one or more portions of the first and road sections, such that a space where the barrier is not present provides a gap 14 in the barrier. This gap 14 allows a vehicle to move from one road section to another. Along the length of one vehicle safety zone 10, at least one gap 14 in the barrier may be provided. In Figures 1 and 2, the gap 14 is shown as being approximately in the middle of the lengths of the road sections, however it should be understood that the gap 14 in the barrier 13 may provided at any position along the road sections. The first road section 11 comprises one or more construction materials for a road surface. Additionally, the second road section 12 comprises one or more construction materials for a road surface. That is, the second road section 12 is a surface is designed for vehicles to continuously drive over. These vehicles may include bicycles and motor-vehicles such as motorcycles, cars, small mobile homes, some with attached trailers. In other words, the second road section 12 is not part of a field, woodland or brownfield land as these surfaces are not able to withstand vehicles continuously driving over them. The one or more construction materials comprised by the first road section 11 may be different to the one or more construction materials comprised by the second road section 12. Typical construction materials for a road surface include one or more of crushed aggregates, crushed rock, tar, bitumen, asphalt concrete (tarmac), concrete and reinforced concrete. These materials are popular in the design of highways as they provide a flexible surface which can withstand continuous traffic flow. Additionally, once these road materials have been laid, they are even and smooth to give a driver a comfortable driving experience and also allow a driver to accelerate and travel at high speed along the road, which is desirable especially on highways with higher speed limits. Figure 3 illustrates an exemplary cross-section of the second road section 12. Second road section 12 comprises a layer of concrete 15. The concrete may be thick enough to support the permanent or variable load of a four-wheeled motorised vehicle, such as a car, small mobile home or small van. For example, the thickness of the concrete layer 15 may be between 50mm - 300mm. Preferentially, the thickness of the concrete layer is between 75mm - 175mm. The layer of concrete 15 of the second road section 12 may be reinforced by a reinforcement grid 16. The reinforcement grid 16 may be a metal mesh or a plurality of reinforcement pre-tensioned bars. The reinforcement grid 16 may be constructed of galvanised steel, galvanised iron, or any other material suitable for strengthening the concrete layer 15. Concrete performs well under compressive loads but has a low tensile strength. The presence of the reinforcement grid aids the concrete under tensile loads, and controls crack development. Therefore, the disposal of the reinforcement grid 16 in the concrete layer 15 provides greater resistance to vehicles travelling over the concrete. The reinforcement grid 16 may be positioned within the concrete layer 15 at depth di from the top surface of the concrete layer 15, as shown in Figure 3. Depth di may be between 85 to 90% into the thickness of the concrete layer 15. The second road section 12 may also comprise a vegetation restriction barrier cloth layer 17. The vegetation restriction barrier cloth layer may be located beneath the concrete layer and above the earth structure 19 or foundation which the second road section 12 is built on. The vegetation barrier may be a sheet comprising one or more of high-density polyethylene. The vegetation restriction barrier cloth layer 17 reduces and controls growth of weeds without the use of chemicals. The second road section 12 may also comprise a damp proof course 18. The damp proof course 18 may be located beneath the concrete layer 15 and above the earth structure 19 or foundation which the second road section 12 is built on. When the second road section 12 comprises a vegetation restriction barrier cloth layer 17, the damp proof course 18 is located between the vegetation restriction barrier 17 cloth layer and the concrete layer. The damp proof course 18 is an impermeable layer and reduces the transfer of water in either direction through the second road section. The damp proof course 18 comprises any suitable material that provides an impermeable barrier. For example, it may comprise one or more of polyethylene, bitumen, a bitumen-polymer, slate and stone. The use of the damp proof course 18 and vegetation restriction barrier cloth layer 17 also maintains the stability of the earth structure 19 located under the second road section. In an alternative example, the second road section 12 may have the following construction. The second road section 12 may comprise a vegetation barrier cloth layer as described above, located above the earth structure 19 or foundation which the second road section 12 is built on. Located above the vegetation barrier cloth layer, the second road section may comprise a grid system disposed in a layer of ground stone filled to a top surface of the road section. The ground stone layer may comprise a binder mixed with one or more aggregates such as sand, crushed stone, crushed concrete and asphalt. The binder in the ground stone layer holds and sets the aggregates together, leaving small gaps present between the aggregates. The grid system supports the structure of the stone layer and may be formed of a non-perishable material, such as plastic or polyethylene. Advantageously, the arrangement of this road section 12 has a good drainage properties, as rainwater collected by the road is permitted to flow through the gaps present between aggregates in the ground stone layer. The stone layer also provides a more environmentally friendly alternative to a layer of concrete, whilst still providing sufficient strength and durability to support the load of small motor-vehicles continuously driving over the second road section. Maintenance of the road section is also straightforward as the ground stone layer may be topped-up easily by pouring another m ixture of binder and aggregate(s) to the top-surface of the ground stone layer where necessary. The barrier 13 of the vehicle safety zone may be made up of one or more of a metal beam, a concrete block, a grass verge or fence. The barrier may extend to a height of hi above the upper surface of the first road section. Height hi may be 500 mm to 1100 mm above the upper surface of the first road section. Figure 4 shows an side-view of an exemplary barrier 13 facing the first road section, wherein the barrier comprises a one or more metal beams 131 attached to and supported by a plurality of posts 132 spaced along the barrier extension. The one or more beams 131 are attached to a post 132 by fastening bolts 133. The plurality of posts 132 may be spaced at 1m to 4m along the extension of the barrier and bolted down into the first road section 11. The metal beam may comprise galvanised steel in the form of one or more corrugated rails. The corrugation of the rails increases the rigidity of the metal beam and thus improves the structural strength of the of the barrier against high impact lateral loads. As mentioned above, the barrier 13 partially separates the first and second road sections, such that one or more gaps 14 may be provided in the barrier. The vehicle safety zone 10 may comprise one gap 14 in the barrier. The vehicle safety zone 10 may comprise a plurality of gaps 14 in the barrier. The gaps in the barrier are typically wide enough to allow a vehicle travelling in the first road section 11 to move into the second road section 12. Arrow 20 of Figure 4 indicates the direction of traffic flow in the vehicle safety zone. Barrier 13 comprises a first portion 13a and a second portion 13b. The barrier first portion 13a may be the edge of the barrier 13 seen on entry of a car moving from the first road section 11 to the second road section 12. The barrier first portion 13a may be angled upwards from the upper surface of the first road section 11. That is, the barrier first portion 13a extends from the first road section floor 11 upwards to height hi in the direction of traffic flow, such that the first barrier portion forms an angle on with the upper surface of the first road section 11. Angle on may be between 15 and 90 degrees. The barrier first portion 13a may be located downstream from a gap 14 provided in the barrier. The term “downstream” in this context means the same direction as the direction of traffic flow. Thus, if placed in the centre of a gap 14 provided in the barrier, the downstream end would be end of the barrier 13 in the direction of the traffic flow 20. The barrier first portion 13a provides a safer barrier end than an abrupt horizontal edge of the barrier 13 for a driver moving between the first and second road sections. The barrier second portion 13b may be the end of the barrier 13 seen as a car moves from the second road section 12 to the first road section 11. The barrier second portion 13b shown in figure 4 may comprise one of the plurality of posts 132 and one of the one or more metal beams 131 attached to the post 132 at its downstream end. The metal beam 131 is bent around post 132, such that the end of the metal beam 131 is rounded away from the first road section 11. In Figure 4, barrier second portion 13b further comprises additional protection end section 134 attached to post 132 at height h2 above the upper surface of the first road section 11. The additional protection end section 134 may comprise a metal beam. The length of additional protection end section 134 is suitable to extend around part of or the whole of the post 132. The length of additional protection may be at least the circumference of the post 132 such that the additional protection end section 134 may extend around the whole of the post 132. Similarly to the downstream end of metal beam 131 of the barrier second portion, the end section 134 is bent around the post 132 such that the corner of the barrier second portion 13b is rounded away from the first road section. The rounded portions of the barrier second portion 13b provide a safer barrier end than an abrupt horizontal edge of the barrier 13 for a driver moving between the first and second road sections. Alternatively, the barrier second portion 13b may have the same structure as first barrier portion 13a. That is, the barrier second portion 13a may be angled upwards from the upper surface of the first road section 11. That is, the barrier first portion 13b extends from height hi downwards towards the gap 14 in the downstream direction of traffic flow, such that the barrier second portion forms an angle on with the top surface of the first road section 11. Angle on may be between 15 and 90 degrees. The second barrier portion 13b may be located upstream from a gap 14 provided in the barrier. The term “upstream” in this context means the direction opposite to the direction of traffic flow 4. Thus, if placed in the centre of a gap 15 provided in the barrier, the upstream end would be the end of the barrier in the opposite direction of traffic flow 20. The axle load capacity of the second road section 12 is smaller than the axle load capacity of the first road section 11. The axle load may be calculated as the weight exerted on an axle of a vehicle. Thus, the mass of the car chassis, engine placement, the number and mass of the passengers and any luggage may contribute towards the size of the axle load. The axle load capacity of a road is the maximum load per axle that the road section may withstand from the axle loads of one or more vehicles travelling across it. Vehicles such as bicycles have low axle loads relative to motor-vehicles. For example, in the United Kingdom the maximum total weight limit of the bicycle, rider and luggage is 160 kg. In contrast, motorised-vehicles with at least four wheels have weights of at least 400kg, with the average weight of standard car being in a range of 1200 to 2000 kg over two axles. Light goods vehicles (LGV) in the United Kingdom, such as cars and small vans, typically have a typical maximum allowable gross weight (including passengers) of approximately 3.5 tonnes (3500 kg) over two axles. High goods vehicles (HGV) have a broader range of number of axles and gross weights. For example, small lorries with two axles typically have a gross weight range of approximately 3.5 tonnes (3500 kg) to 7.5 tonnes (7500 kg), whereas larger multi axle lorries have a have typical gross weights of between 25 tonnes (25000 kg) to 44 tonnes (44000 kg). The axle load capacity of the first road section may be suitable such that it can withstand multi-axle vehicles with gross weights of 44 tonnes. The axle load capacity of the first road section may be at least 9 tonnes (9000 kg) per axle. The axle load capacity of the second road section may be at least 300kg per axle such that it could withstand a small car. Additionally, the axle load capacity of the second road section may be less than or equal to 4 tonnes per axle. Thus the axle load capacity of the second road section may be in a range of 300 to 4000 kg per axle. The axle load capacity of the second road section may be in a range of 600 to 4000 kg per axle. The axle load capacity of the second road section may be in a range of 600 to 4000 kg per axle. The axle load capacity of the second road section may be in a range of 1350 to 4000 kg per axle. The axle load capacity of the second road section may be between 1.75 to 4 tonnes per axle (1750 to 4000 kg per axle). Therefore, the second road section 12 may be suitable for low-axle weight vehicles such as cars, motorcycles and small vans and buses to travel and be parked over. In other words, the second road section 12 may be suitable for motorised vehicles with four wheels to continuously drive over. The second road section 12 may not suitable for HGVs to travel over. Thus, the vehicle safety zone 10 provides an area where low-axle weight vehicles may stop in or travel onto without encountering HGVs. Should a low-axle weight vehicle encounter a problem or emergency, the driver of the low-axle vehicle may move from the first road section 11 to the second road section 12 via a gap 14 in the barrier to seek a respite. The vehicle safety zone 10 also allows emergency vehicles of low axle weight to use the second road section 12 to reach vehicles parked on the second road section 12, or to move past traffic when the lanes of the highway are congested such that they can reach the scene of an accident. The second road section comprises a first portion 12a, second portion 12b and third portion 12c. In Figure 2, the separation of portions 12a, 12b, and 12c are indicated by dashed lines. The first portion 12a of the second road section 12 may comprise a surface course on top of the concrete layer 15. The surface course may be as smooth or smoother than the concrete layer 15. The surface course may be as smooth as the top surface of the first road section 11. The surface course may be the same material as that of the first road section 11. The surface course may comprise one or more of asphalt or a mixture of bitumen and aggregate(s). The first portion 12a of the second road section 12 may be located upstream of a gap 14 in the barrier 13. That is, the first portion 12a of the second road section 12 may be located such that a vehicle travelling along the second road section 12 in the direction of travel arrow 4 would encounter the first portion 12a of the second road section before a gap in the barrier 13. The material and location of the surface course allows for a driver to accelerate along the second road section 12 before joining the first road section 11 (via the gap 14 in the barrier 13). A second portion 12b of the second road section 12 may comprise an upper surface above the concrete layer 15 rough top layer surface. The surface course of portion 12a is smoother than the upper surface of portion 12b. That is, the upper surface is rougher than the surface course. The upper surface may be less smooth than the top surface of the first road section 11. That is, the upper surface layer may be uneven. This means that a driver of a low axle vehicle would slow down when travelling over the upper surface to maintain control of the vehicle. The upper surface may also provide a less comfortable driving experience to the driver than the concrete layer 15. This aids drivers in decelerating when joining the second road section 12 from the first road section 11 and reduces the risk of drivers who do not need to use vehicle safety zone 10 for its intended purposes from bypassing the highway. That is, drivers who are not seeking a respite will be discouraged to bypass traffic on the lane(s) of the highway by moving into the vehicle second road section 12 due to the upper surface being uncomfortable to drive over. The second portion 12b of the second road section may be located downstream of a gap 14 in the barrier 13. That is, the second portion 12b of the second road section 12 may be located such that a vehicle travelling along the second road section 12 in the direction of travel arrow 4 would encounter the second portion 12b of the second road section 12 after a gap 14 in the barrier 13. The material and location of the top surface allows for a driver that has travelled from the first road section 11 to the second road section 12 (via the barrier gap 14) to decelerate along the first portion 11. This allows a driver to safely come to a halt. The third portion 12c of the section road section 12 extends adjacent to a gap 14 in barrier 13. That is, the third portion is a middle zone between the first portion 12a and second portion 12b. The third portion 12c may comprise an additional layer over concrete layer 15. The additional layer may comprise the surface course of portion 12a or rough top surface of portion 12b. In Figure 2, third portion 12c has length L and comprises an additional layer of the surface course. This surface course extends in the direction of traffic flow arrow 4 from the upstream end of the gap 14 to a distance da. The third portion 12c further comprises an additional layer of the rough top surface. The rough top surface extends in the direction opposite to the direction of traffic flow from the downstream end of gap 14 to a distance db. In Figure 2, da and db are shown as both extending to the midpoint of gap 14. However, da may extend to any distance within the gap from the upstream end of the gap 14. That is, 0 <da L. Similarly, may extend to any distance within the gap from the downstream end of the gap 14. That is, 0 <db L. The vehicle safety zone may further comprise a second barrier 21. The second barrier may be located on the outermost edge of the second road section 12. The term “outermost edge” in this context means the edge of the second road section 12 which is not adjacent to the barrier 13 which partially separates the first and second road sections. In the other words, the second barrier 21 may be located on the opposite side to the edge of the second road section 12 where the barrier 13 is located. The second barrier 21 extends along the length of the outermost edge of section road section 12. The second barrier 21 reduces risk of vehicles from leaving the highway entirely, and also obstructs or partially obstructs pedestrians, wildlife or unwanted objects making their way onto the highway 1. The second barrier 21 may be one or more of a metal beam, a concrete block or fence. Figure 5 illustrates a side-view of an exemplary second barrier 21 of the vehicle safety zone 10. Figure 5 shows the second barrier 21 as a fence comprising a plurality of upright poles 22 spaced along the second road section, and a plurality of wires 23 attached between each of the plurality of upright poles 22. The plurality of upright poles 22 may be spaced at 5m to 15m intervals. Preferentially, the plurality of upright poles 22 are spaced at 10m intervals. Each upright pole 22 may extend to a height of hs above the upper surface of the second road section. Height hs may be 500 mm to 1100 mm above the surface of the second road section 12. Preferentially, height hs is 800mm above the surface of the second road section 12. The plurality of wires may comprise one or more of rope, galvanised metal wire or galvanised metal chains. The second barrier 21 may further comprise a netting (not shown) attached between the plurality of poles 22, and extending from base to the top of the upright poles. The netting further obstructs pedestrians, wildlife or unwanted objects making their way onto the highway 1. The second barrier 21 provides a low cost and low impact means of directing vehicles to stay on the highway 1. The vehicle safety zone 10 may be provided along lengths of highways such as smart motorways. The length of the first road section 11 may extend along the entire length of a highway. The length of the second road section 12 may extend along the entire length of a highway. Alternatively, the second road section 12 may extend along a one or more portions of the highway. Additionally or alternatively, the length of the second road section may extend between junctions or obstructions on the highway such as merging or leaving lanes, bridges, buildings and retaining walls. Although it is shown in Figures 1 and 2 that the first road section 11 may be an inside lane of a vehicle highway, the first road section 11 may be any road which vehicles travel on. For example, the first road section 11 may be the inside lane of a dual carriageway. Alternatively, the first road section 11 may be a road comprising a single lane of traffic travelling in the direction of arrow 4 or 5. That is, the first road section may be a one-way road. Construction of a second road section The second road section 12 may be constructed adjacent to an existing first road section 11. Before the second road section 12 is constructed, the ground below the second road section 12 may be prepared. In a first step of ground preparation, a bulldozer or any other suitable device may be used to excavate a zone where the second section road section is to be built. Next, a machine roller or any other suitable device may be used to roll the ground of the excavated zone flat. After the ground has been prepared, a vegetation restriction barrier 17 may be laid over the ground. The vegetation restriction barrier 17 may be a sheet comprising one or more of high-density polyethylene. Next, a damp proof course 18 may be applied on top of the vegetation restriction barrier 17. The damp proof course 18 may be a sheet comprising one or more of polyethylene, bitumen, a bitumen-polymer, slate and stone. In a further step, the edges of the vegetation restriction barrier 17 and damp proof course 18 sheets may be further rolled to reduce the amount of water transfer where the edges meet. Next, concrete may be poured over the damp proof course to form a concrete layer 15. A reinforcement grid 16 may be disposed within the concrete layer 15. This step includes pouring a portion of concrete onto the damp proof course 18, then positioning the reinforcement grid 16 in the concrete, then pouring the remaining concrete over the reinforcement grid 16. The reinforcement grid 16 may be arranged 10 to 15% into the total thickness of the laid concrete layer 15. That is, the reinforcement grid 16 is disposed at a depth of 85 to 90% from the top surface of the concrete layer 15. In a further step, a barrier 13 is provided between the first road section 11 and second road section 12. The barrier 13 may be constructed of one or more of a metal beam, a concrete block, a grass verge or fence. The barrier 13 may be formed of a plurality of barrier portions which extend along one or more lengths of the first and second road sections such that a space between barrier portions provides a gap 14 for a vehicle to move from one road section to another. The one or more gaps 14 in the barrier are typically wide enough to allow a vehicle travelling in the first road section 11 to move into the second road section 12. The barrier 13 may be formed using an existing barrier on the outermost edge of the first road section. The barrier 13 may formed by creating one or more gaps 14 in the existing barrier such that the barrier comprises a plurality of barrier portions. The one or more gaps in the barrier are typically wide enough to allow a vehicle travelling in the first road section 11 to move into the second road section 12. In a further step, a second barrier 21 is constructed on the outermost edge of the second road section 12. The second barrier may be a fence comprising a plurality of upright poles 22 spaced along the second road section, and a plurality of wires 23 attached between each of the plurality of upright poles 22. Safety alerting system When a vehicle has taken refuge in the second road section 12 of the vehicle safety zone 10, the driver may wish to make traffic approaching the vehicle safety zone 10 aware that it is in use and that a vehicle is stationary on the second road section 12. The vehicle safety zone 10 may further comprise a safety alerting system. The safety alerting system comprises a plurality of activator units which are located at points along the second barrier 21 of the section road section 12. Each activator unit may be attached to the second barrier 21 on the reverse side from the carriageway or may be mounted on separate support posts. The spacing between each activator may be 100m, such that any broken down or stranded driver is always no more than 50m from such a box. Each activator unit comprises a safety switch or button which can be activated by the user to activate an alert, such as a light. In the United Kingdom, there is legislation in place which prevents a motorist from generating safety signals on all roads in the United Kingdom. Thus, on activation of the safety switch by the user, a first signal from the specific activator unit is sent to the control room responsible for the alerting system, lighting and signage along that particular road or highway. The signal may comprise information on the location of the activator unit which sent the signal. Once it is brought to the control room’s attention, the control room may assess whether it is necessary to start the activation of the safety alert system. If the control room decides that activation of the safety alert system is required, they may send a first return signal back to the activator unit which sent the first signal to confirm that activation of the system should commence. Upon receiving the first return signal, the activator unit continues with the activation of the safety alerting system starts the alerting process. The alerting process may be similar to the process upon activation of the safety alerting system described in UK patent application GB2614236 A. In the alerting process, the activator unit that has received the first return signal transmits signals to the plurality of activator units up to 3 km upstream of the unit to activate their alerts, such as a light. Therefore, vehicles travelling along the first road section 11 towards the location of the stationary vehicle in the vehicle safety zone 10 are made aware of the potential upcoming hazard and may change their speed or lane accordingly. Red or green LED lights of a suitable brightness on top of the activator units may be provided to help locating the activator boxes at night. They may also be used to confirm that an activation is in place. For example, a red led light may be provided to act as a locator beacon and a green LED may be provided to light up when activation has been successful, or when receiving the return signal from the control room. Each activator unit may further comprise an emergency roadside telephone which provides a direct line to emergency services or the traffic control room in case of a vehicle breakdown or accident. To ensure a safe return of a vehicle from the second road section 12 to the first road section 11, the safety alerting system may also be used to guide the driver towards the first road section 11 via gap 14. Each activator unit may further comprise a request switch or button, which upon its activation, the activator unit transmits a second signal to the control room to request an alerting process for vehicles leaving the vehicle safety zone 10. Once it is brought to the control room’s attention, the control room may assess whether it is necessary to start the activation of the safety alert system for the purposes of the vehicle leaving the zone 10. If the control room decides that activation of the safety alert system is required, they may send a second return signal back to the activator unit which sent the request signal to confirm that activation of the system should commence. Upon receiving the second return signal, the activator unit starts the alerting process for a vehicle leaving the safety zone 10. This process is similar to the safety alerting process for a vehicle parked in the safety zone 10, apart from instead of activating the units up to 3 km upstream of the vehicle, the units are activated up to 3km downstream of the vehicle. The vehicle safety zone 10 further comprises traffic lights arranged at one or more gaps 14 along the vehicle safety zone 10. The traffic lights downstream of the vehicle will provide permission for the vehicle to re-join first road section 11 via gap 14. Once the driver has cleared the vehicle safety zone 10, the activators unit will need to be reset. This might be done locally by the rescue service, police or other authorised personnel, perhaps by entering an authorisation code, or perhaps simply by activating a "cancel" switch provided on each activator unit. The control room may also have authority to reset the activator unit(s) by sending a cancellation signal to each activator unit which has been activated in any process. The applicant hereby discloses in isolation each individual feature described herein and any combination of two or more such features, to the extent that such features or combinations are capable of being carried out based on the present specification as a whole in the light of the common general knowledge of a person skilled in the art, irrespective of whether such features or combinations of features solve any problems disclosed herein, and without limitation to the scope of the claims. The applicant indicates that aspects of the present invention may consist of any such individual feature or combination of features. In view of the foregoing description, it will be evident to a person skilled in the art that various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle safety zone, comprising:a first road section;a second road section adjacent to the first road section, the second road section comprising one or more construction materials for a road surface; anda barrier partially separating the first and second road sections,wherein the second road section has a smaller axle load capacity than the first road section.

2. A vehicle safety zone according to claim 1, wherein the second road section is configured to accommodate a four-wheeled motorised vehicle.

3. A vehicle safety zone according to claim 2, wherein the second road section comprises a layer of concrete.

4. A vehicle safety zone according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the second road section comprises a reinforcement grid.

5. A vehicle safety zone according to claim 4 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the reinforcement grid is disposed within the concrete layer.

6. A vehicle safety zone according to claim 4 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the reinforcement grid is disposed between 85% and 90% into the depth of the concrete layer.

7. A vehicle safety zone according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second road section comprises a vegetation restriction barrier cloth layer.

8. A vehicle safety zone according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second road section comprises a damp proof course.

9. A vehicle safety zone according to any preceding claim, wherein the barrier is formed of a plurality of barrier portions which extend along one or more lengths of the first and second road sections such that a space between barrier portions provides a gap for a vehicle to move from one road section to another.

10. A vehicle safety zone according to claim 9, wherein the barrier comprises two barrier portions and there is a gap provided between the two barrier portions.

11. A vehicle safety zone according to claim 9, wherein the barrier comprises a plurality of barrier portions and a gap is provided between each barrier portion.

12. A vehicle safety zone according to any of claims 9 to 11, wherein for a particular gap, the downstream end of the barrier portion is angled upwards from a top surface of the first road section in the downstream direction.

13. A vehicle safety zone according to any of claims 9 to 12, wherein for a particular gap, the upstream end of the barrier portion is angled downwards towards the gap in the downstream direction.

14. A vehicle safety zone according to any preceding claim, wherein the barrier includes one or more of a metal beam, a concrete block and a grass verge.

15. A vehicle safety zone according to any preceding claim, wherein the axle load capacity of the second road section is less than or equal to 4000 kg per axle.

16. A vehicle safety zone according to any preceding claim, wherein the axle load capacity of the second road section is at least 300 kg per axle.

17. A vehicle safety zone according to any preceding claim, wherein the first road section is an inside lane on a vehicle highway.

18. A vehicle safety zone according to any preceding claim when dependent on any of claims 3 to 5, wherein a first portion of the second road section comprises a surface course above the concrete layer.

19. A vehicle safety zone according to any preceding claim when dependent on any of claims 3 to 5, wherein a second portion of the second road section comprises an upper surface above the concrete layer.

20. A vehicle safety zone according to claim 19 when dependent on claim 18, wherein the surface course of the first portion is smoother than the upper surface of the second portion such that a vehicle travelling in the second road section can accelerate along the first portion before moving to the first road section.

21. A vehicle safety zone according to claim 18 to 20, wherein the upper surface of the second portion is rougher than the top surface of the first road section such that a vehicle travelling in the first road section can decelerate along the second portion after moving to the second road section.

22. A vehicle safety zone according to claim 18 or any claim dependent on claim 18, wherein the first portion of the second road section is located upstream of a gap in the barrier portions.

23. A vehicle safety zone according to claim 19 or any claim dependent on claim 18, wherein the second portion of the second road section is located downstream of a gap in the barrier portions.

24. A vehicle safety zone according to any preceding claim, further comprising a second barrier extending along the second road section on the opposite side to the barrier which separates the first and second road sections.

25. A method of constructing a vehicle safety zone adjacent to a first road section, the method comprising:building a second road section next to the first road section, the second road section comprising one or more construction materials for a road surface and having a smaller axle load capacity than the first road section;providing a barrier to partially separate the first road section and second road section.A

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