90 years of the Belisha beacon
This year marks the 90th anniversary of the Belisha beacon.
In honour of this, we have compiled a few facts about this ground-breaking road safety product.
What is a Belisha beacon?
Whilst everyone in the industry will already be very familiar with the Belisha beacon, many believe it refers to the entire post at a pedestrian crossing. In fact, the Belisha beacon is only the yellow globe lamp that flashes at the very top of these posts.
When were Belisha beacons introduced?
The very first Belisha beacons were installed in the London authorities area and were rolled out across the UK in 1935, following the Road Traffic Act 1934.
Why is it called a Belisha beacon?
The Belisha beacon is named after the Minister of Transport (from 1934-1937), Leslie Hore-Belisha, who added the beacons to pedestrian crossings as part of road safety measures and to help improve visibility for all road users, particularly at night. Initially, the crossings were marked by a number of large metal studs. However, to make these areas clearer, they were painted with black and white stripes – this is where the term “zebra crossing” originates.
Other quick Belisha beacon facts
- The correct pronunciation of “Belisha” is “Bel-ee-sha”
- It is a legal requirement for pedestrian crossings to include two Belisha beacons within the UK
- Also within the UK, the flash rate for a Belisha beacon is 750ms on, 750ms off
- A popular card game called Belisha was inspired by these beacons – the aim of the game is to teach children more about road safety
Our Belisha beacons
Belisha beacons have been at the heart of our product portfolio for decades. Our designs have evolved and developed with technology and customer requirements. Our range now includes:
- Modubel – A simple solution with a massive impact
- Modustar – Additional high intensity LED arrays to deliver outstanding visibility
- Midubel – A unique mid-post installation
- Midustar – A mid-post installation with additional high intensity LEDs
- Solabel – An environmentally-friendly, solar-powered solution
A very Happy Birthday to the Belisha beacon, and here’s to the next 90 years!
