As the national lockdown eases, it is more important than ever that we all keep in mind that the restrictions that remain, do so for a good reason. After such a long time of intermittent lockdowns, it can be easy for the smallest of easing to feel like freedom. However, with many of the existing restrictions having been eased on the 12^th April, just before the 2021 May Day break, Local Authorities have a responsibility in ensuring that local residents are measured in their actions and behaviour to protect those who are not fully protected from the virus yet.

Over the last year, MVIS have been at the forefront of COVID signage, from deployments in town and city centres to signposting and traffic management applications for COVID vaccine or COVID test centres, we have been supporting COVID messaging needs all over the nation throughout the pandemic.

A good reason for this is the products themselves – our portable Variable Message Signs are ideally placed for important public safety messaging at time when it has never been needed more. Available in 3 different sizes, depending on the application, with either 2 or 5 colour LED display, our portable message signs are solar powered and trailer based, making them highly versatile.

They are also easy to update quickly and remotely using a mobile device or browser through our Bartco Live App or Web Studio and updates can be made by your team or ours, allowing you to stay responsive to changes in messaging as they occur.

Another reason we have been so heavily relied upon is due to the quality of our service and our reputation. Already having a good relationship with Local Authorities, we were well known around the UK for providing a top tier, platinum service, making us the most trusted supplier of trailer based ITS technology in the industry.

With the above in mind, it seems only logical that our signs led the national effort on COVID signage and continue to do so as the restrictions ease. We also boast the largest fleet of portable Variable Message Signs in the UK as well as national coverage for quick deployment, so we are also uniquely positioned to be able to assist Local Authorities all over the UK.

For more information about our solutions or if you would like to know more about how you can use our products to help with communicating information to the general public, please contact us via our contact form.

Alternatively, you can email us via sales@m-vis.co.uk.

Throughout 2020, and even pre-dating the unforeseen COVID-19 pandemic, leading Intelligent Transport Systems provider MVIS was working diligently on bringing new solutions to long standing challenges.

As MVIS broached new markets, little did the company realise how truly vital its solutions would be in a year that we all could not quite believe what we were experiencing at times. With several clients in the retail sector turning to MVIS for portable VMS solutions in 2020, the early parts of the year were very much deployments for some rather ‘regular’ reasons.

Whether it be delivering information to shopping centre visitors about overflow car parks or directing delivery drivers to the correct unit on an industrial park, the VMS deployed by MVIS were serving the purpose they always anticipated their solutions would serve.

From late March however, MVIS found itself deploying units for scenarios that it – like us all – never quite imagined.

Messages like ‘Stay Home, Save Lives’ and ‘Protect the NHS’ had never before been seen, or needed to be seen across the UK’s highways in addition to our towns and cities.

The MVIS deployment of such messages, and indeed the units that display them, follows the same crowd control model more regularly seen by the company when providing portable VMS for events. The adaptable nature of both company and product alike provided a smooth transition into this realm of public notice, wayfinding and assistance for retailers.

One example of application comes in the form of queue management systems both in, and out of vehicles, which have both been implemented for public safety and delivery of customer information, as it has become of more paramount importance than ever.

VMS signs displaying reminders about wearing a mask and social distancing have become common parts of our lives, and the time between the UK’s first lockdown in March 2020, as well as the current one that we are all experiencing sees ever changing guidelines dependent on geographical region – as well as sector of industry.

The COVID-19 pandemic has displayed the adaptability of these VMS solutions, and certainly increased the demand for them, as MVIS has added 70 new VMS units to its hire fleet, as well as 30 new Solar IP units over the last 12 months.

With the ability to control all units nationwide from its control room, MVIS has been able to respond to regional areas moving up or down the nation’s COVID-19 tier system with ease, carrying out the required notices in any particular area of the UK.

As we remain indoors, MVIS’ solutions continue to deliver vital information daily, and as we take hope from the news of vaccination from COVID-19, the company is now prepared to once more respond to regional requirements, as well as assist the retail sector as it hopefully gets back on its feet after another national lockdown.

Anne Ashman, MVIS’ UK Group Commercial and Operations Director told us:

“The situation we all find ourselves in is less than ideal to say the very least, but as a business we have actively put our minds to responding strongly, making the correct adaptations and serving our clients the only way we know how – with full energy and care.

“This has been in accordance with additional safety measures for our own team, ensuring we take every preventative measure we can think of, mitigating any workplace safety concerns to protect both the physical and mental wellbeing of our workforce.

“As we enter 2021 with hope due to the vaccine we are here, as ever, ready to deliver for our clients regardless of their need. Whether it be further COVID-19 safety bulletins or operational assistance, MVIS will be ready.”

The exciting news we have recently had regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, especially in the UK, has been met with a resounding cheer from the community and the business world alike. Finally, an end to all this madness is in sight. However, we’re not out of the woods just yet, and our approach to the beginning of the end of this whole ordeal will help shape just how far off the end is.

Delivering vaccinations in an organised and timely manner will be critical.

This is where we can help. MVIS have been helping local authorities all over the country this year with COVID messaging and signage for large audiences.

Offering solutions designed for traffic management, our solar powered ITS products have brought order and safety to highways, roads and events in the UK for nearly a decade and have continued to do so throughout the COVID pandemic.

Councils such as Bolton and Oxford have turned to our portable variable message signs to help inform and advise on COVID information to citizens. However, we have also seen our signs used in retail for applications such as click & collect and queue management, to advise on estimated wait times and keep customers informed.

As shown with flu vaccinations, our solar powered, portable electronic signs offer COVID vaccine sites an opportunity to advise patients of important information, minimising contact from another individual. Ideal for directing traffic or communicating with patients in their cars, our signs are a proven tool in safety and communication applications.

Displayed content can be updated quickly and easily using web browser or mobile app, by your team or ours, and signs are available in 3 different sizes, depending on the size of site and requirement.

Our signs however don’t just help with informing patients and drivers, they can also be productive through the data they collect, helping to inform on potential risks and identify opportunities. All our VMS units discretely contain a data collection radar that collect and report on trends regarding:

• Speed
• Dates
• Times
• Levels of traffic

Data uploads to our servers every hour and can be downloaded by users at any time. With a new venture such as this, data is one of our most important tools. To have access to trend data on levels of traffic can help site management to better plan and organise resources to accommodate peaks in demand, for example.

We also offer portable solar powered CCTV and ANPR, which may be helpful for vaccine sites for security applications, at a time where the COVID-19 vaccines are highly coveted, there may be a security risk involved in their delivery and storage.

With national coverage, our units can be deployed quickly to sites across the UK. Whether it’s queue management, traffic directing, COVID messaging, all or anything else, our portable message signs can help bring order and control to vaccinations sites just as they do to our road network. 

We offer a range of COVID-19 solutions using our portable variable message signs, CCTV and ANPR.

For more information about our solutions or if you would like to know more about how you can use our products to help with communicating information to the general public, please contact us via our contact form.

Alternatively, you can email us via sales@m-vis.co.uk.