Luminescent markings to guide cyclists on a RaVeL in Namur

"During the day, the marking is a little different from a classic white marking: it appears a little greenish, because it contains pigments which continuously re-emit the light coming from the sun's ultraviolet rays", explains Gauthier Michaux, expert engineer at SPW Mobility and Infrastructures, "a bit like the needles of a clock, or the stars that one places on the ceiling of a child's room".

But the whole point of this new branding is revealed at night. "When it starts to get dark, when the natural light has disappeared, the re-emission of light by these pigments continues, and the marking appears bright, and green," he adds.

Make RAVeLs safer by guiding users

The aim of the operation is to help users, and especially cyclists, to move around safely, via visual guidance. And the place chosen here for this test phase, on a RAVeL crossing an undergrowth, was not chosen at random, because "to function, there must be no significant source of external light: no public lighting, no car headlights, because in this case, the external contribution of light would be too strong compared to that emitted by the markings ", indicates the expert. The process is much cheaper than installing streetlights, "but it doesn't have exactly the same effect, either. It allows visual markup for cyclists, but it doesn't allow total security by creating, s' it needed a quantity of light to see others as in broad daylight ".

Namur: luminescent paint markings to guide cyclists on a RAVeL - © Gauthier Michaux	Namur: luminescent paint markings to guide cyclists on a RAVeL - © Gauthier Michaux

What do users think of luminescent painting?

For users, the idea is a good idea, and useful in this place. José Da Costa knows this area well, as he regularly uses this part of the RAVeL to get to work. "It is a part which is very wooded, with one or two road crossings, which can be dangerous points. Even during the day, it is quite dark, since the trees are quite leafy," he explains. . "We will have to see in practice whether it is really useful, but in absolute terms, any initiative that tries to improve things is welcome. The more we make these kinds of arrangements, the more people will feel safe, and attendance will increase ", adds this user.

A first photoluminescent try in Belgium

This is the first time that this process has been used in Belgium. "A French manufacturer came to do this experimental work with us, and this is the first time that this product has been applied outside France," explains Gauthier Michaux. "As this is an experimental test, and the request comes from the producer, the budget is zero for the SPW. It is the producer who provides the marking product, and the application was made within the framework of a maintenance lease of the district of Bouge ", specifies the engineer.

If the experimental project is successful, it could therefore be generalized. "At first, it's really an experimental project to examine the behavior of the product over time, from a technical and practical point of view, with users. And to see how it behaves over time. wait until we have the results of this experimental project before perhaps generalizing the process ", recalls Gauthier Michaux. "Especially since, for this marking product to be generalized throughout the SPW Mobilité network must be approved, after a durability test of at least one year on a very specific road site, near Marche-en -Famenne. And this product has not yet passed, it will be applied there next year ", adds the expert," So its approval would not take place for at least two years ".

Link to the French News of Arnaud Bruckner in rtbf.be