Traffic Cones: The Complete Guide to Choosing the Right Safety Cone
Class 1, class 2, heights from 30 to 90 cm, weighted or unweighted, motorway-rated: the EHS buyer's guide to choosing the right traffic cone for your worksite.
Choosing the right traffic cone for your worksite is far from a detail: height, retroreflective class and weighting all determine both the regulatory compliance of your signage and the safety of your crews. At EHS — Euro Highway Safety, a manufacturer and distributor of temporary road-safety signage in flexible PVC, we help you get it right. This buyer’s guide walks through every configuration, from the 30 cm cone to the 90 cm motorway cone.
Quick reference: which cone for which use?
This table maps height, weighting and class against the uses permitted in each environment.
| Height | Model | Class | Private site (off-road) | Carriageway (day) | Carriageway (night) | Motorway |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 cm | Unweighted 0.8 kg | Class 2 | Permitted | Not permitted | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| 50 cm | Unweighted 1.1 kg | Non-retroreflective | Permitted | Tolerated | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| Class 1 | Permitted | Permitted | Not permitted | Not permitted | ||
| Class 2 | Permitted | Permitted | Permitted | Not permitted | ||
| Weighted 2.2 kg | Non-retroreflective | Permitted | Tolerated | Not permitted | Not permitted | |
| Class 1 | Permitted | Permitted | Not permitted | Not permitted | ||
| Class 2 | Permitted | Permitted | Permitted | Not permitted | ||
| 75 cm | Weighted 3.2 kg | Non-retroreflective | Permitted | Tolerated | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| Class 1 | Permitted | Permitted | Not permitted | Not permitted | ||
| Class 2 | Permitted | Permitted | Permitted | Tolerated | ||
| Weighted 4.2 kg | Class 1 | Permitted | Permitted | Permitted | Not permitted | |
| Class 2 | Permitted | Permitted | Permitted | Permitted | ||
| Weighted 5.2 kg | Class 1 | Permitted | Permitted | Not permitted | Not permitted | |
| Class 2 | Permitted | Permitted | Permitted | Permitted | ||
| Motorway-weighted, black base | Class 2 | Permitted | Permitted | Permitted | Permitted | |
| Motorway-weighted, orange base | Class 2 | Permitted | Permitted | Permitted | Permitted | |
| 90 cm | Weighted 7 kg | Non-retroreflective | Permitted | Tolerated | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| Class 1 | Permitted | Permitted | Not permitted | Not permitted | ||
| Class 2 | Permitted | Permitted | Permitted | Permitted |
What is a traffic cone?
A traffic cone is a temporary signage device used on road works, construction sites and any area that needs safety marking. Usually bright orange — sometimes yellow, green or blue — it is built to stay visible day and night. Our cones are made from flexible PVC: they spring back into shape after an impact, where rigid cones simply crack.
Its wide base keeps it stable, while its tapered shape makes it instantly recognisable. Retroreflective sleeves boost visibility, and its height varies with the job at hand.
What are traffic cones used for?
- Marking out a work zone, flagging works in progress and prompting caution.
- Guiding traffic around a site or along temporary lanes.
- Signalling a hazard such as road works, excavations or a diversion.
- Improving safety by making work zones more visible and cutting the risk of collisions.
Traffic cone classes
The class indicates the level of retroreflectivity, which is decisive for visibility at night and in poor light.
Class 1 cone
The class 1 cone carries retroreflective sleeves that improve night-time visibility. It suits work-zone marking, hazard signalling and traffic guidance, and it meets road-safety standards for daytime use on the carriageway.
Class 2 cone
The class 2 cone offers a higher level of retroreflectivity thanks to its two white retroreflective sleeves. It stays clearly visible at night and in bad weather, making it essential for night-time work on the carriageway and, in the right weighted configurations, on the motorway.
Non-retroreflective cone
This bright orange cone has no retroreflective sleeves. It is used in well-lit settings or in daylight, where reflectivity is not a concern. Note: it does not meet road-safety standards and loses much of its visibility at night.
For maximum night-time visibility, add a sequential cone lamp to your setup.
Traffic cone heights
30 cm cone (300 mm)
The 30 cm cone is ideal for small jobs: light pavement work, quick repairs, minor hazards (potholes, manhole covers), tight spaces and indoor use. It works well alongside barriers and signs.
👉 Discover our REVO 08 cone (300 mm).
50 cm cone (500 mm)
The 50 cm cone adds visibility for light road works, marking out medium-sized zones (pavements, car parks) and directing traffic around a site.
👉 Discover our REVO 11 (500 mm, 1.1 kg) and REVO 22 (500 mm, 2.2 kg — orange, blue, green or yellow) cones.
75 cm cone (750 mm)
The 75 cm cone meets high-visibility needs: major road works, marking out large zones, signalling serious hazards (deep excavations, moving plant) and guiding traffic on high-speed roads.
👉 Discover our REVO 32 (750 mm, 3.2 kg), REVO 42 (750 mm, 4.2 kg) and REVO 52 (750 mm, 5.2 kg) cones, plus our motorway cones black base and orange base.
90 cm cone (900 mm)
The 90 cm cone is the choice for highly visible, large-scale marking: major construction projects, motorway works, civil-engineering sites, serious hazards and crowd flow at events.
👉 Discover our REVO 70 cone (900 mm, 7.2 kg).
Fully customisable traffic cones
Every cone we supply is customisable through screen printing. Add your logo and a simple safety device becomes a communication tool: it secures your sites while raising your brand’s visibility, with a consistent, professional image wherever it is deployed.
What the regulations say: the EN 13422 standard
Our weighted class 1 and class 2 cones comply with the EN 13422 standard. This standard requires temporary traffic cones to be reliable, high-quality and free of defects.
EN 13422 certification rests on several control tests:
- Stability: the cone must withstand weather and impacts and stay in place across the zone it marks.
- Retroreflectivity: it must be visible from a distance, day and night and in poor weather, thanks to its reflective sleeves (class 1 or 2).
- Durability: robust and solid, it must not degrade on impact, especially near heavy plant or vehicles.
Need advice on your signage?
EHS helps you choose your traffic cones and your full range of temporary traffic-management equipment. Request your quote: a tailored proposal within 48 hours. You can also email us at contact@ehsgroup.fr.
A question about our products?
Our team is here to advise you.