The industry bodies the Association for Road Traffic Safety and Management (ARTSM) and Retroreflective Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (REMA) are in advanced discussions about merging to become one road safety-focussed organisation.

Highways News understands ARTSM sent a proposal to REMA in 2024 inviting them to consider a merger between the two Associations.  REMA engaged with their membership and in March this year the membership voted to enter into discussions on viability with ARTSM.

Sources tell us these discussions are now underway and a further meeting has taken place with both organisations’ Boards considering potential benefits and risks.

Both trade bodies are primarily manufacturers of equipment deployed for the safe use of the road user and operatives on the road networks.  The Associations sit on standards bodies in the UK and also represent the UK in Europe.  

It is understood the basis of the merger is to focus on the key safety rationale of both bodies.  REMA currently works within the temporary sector, whilst ARTSM sits within both permanent and temporary.

REMA is primarily focussed on cones, barriers, personal protective equipment and vehicle conspicuity while on top of these, ARTSM also is concerned with such things as fixed plate signs, passive safety, Variable Message Signs and traffic signals and control and detection.

It’s understood that if a merger were to take place, it would be completed sometime in the autumn.

(Picture – logos courtesy of ARTSM and REMA)