SWARCO UK & Ireland delivers bespoke VAS to help reduce motorcycle speeding in Swansea
SWARCO UK & Ireland has developed and installed bespoke vehicle activated signs (VAS) for Swansea Council following a successful trial designed to help reduce speeding by motorcyclists.
A bespoke solution for motorcycle safety
Working with Swansea Council, SWARCO developed the VAS to activate only when it detects motorcycles. AI-powered camera technology, enhanced radar and thermal imaging identify approaching riders, display their speed in real time and show a “ARAF/SLOW” warning when they exceed the speed limit.
The road safety challenge
Swansea Council’s 2024 collision review found that motorcycles were involved in nearly 16% of road collisions in the city, compared with the Welsh national average of 12%. The project is supported by Welsh Government funding through its Road Safety Initiative.
From prototype to wider deployment
SWARCO installed the prototype in December 2025 on a section of Carmarthen Road in Cwmdu, where two motorcyclists have died since 2012. Following software refinement and closed-road testing with police motorcyclists, wider deployment of the VAS is now under way across the city.
“The brief from Swansea Council was clear: the VAS needed to recognise motorcycles and respond to the way they use the road. Working in partnership throughout the development and testing process, we were able to deliver a solution built around that need and fit for the locations where it will be used.”
Immediate information for riders
The signs provide riders with an immediate speed check within their natural line of sight, helping them adjust their speed without repeatedly looking down at their dashboard. Speed data and sign status can also be monitored through SWARCO’s MyCity platform.
Building on a strong partnership
This deployment builds on SWARCO UK & Ireland’s wider work with Swansea Council in intelligent traffic and road safety technology, and forms part of broader efforts to improve safety for motorcyclists at higher-risk locations.