Truck drivers are now being forced as a condition of their employment to cycle in traffic to make them more cycle-aware when driving.
In a welcome new move to enhance safety on the roads for cyclists, more than 1,500 lorry drivers have been taken cycling in city traffic for 3½ hours.
The new training day aims to show drivers what moving around in traffic is like for cyclists in the hope that they will become more cyclist-aware and cyclist deaths decrease.
The exercise has been carried out in London where huge numbers of cyclists share the roads with large trucks.
And first to really embrace the idea is Travis Perkins, a huge builders providers in the UK which has put 1,650 of its drivers through the new training day.
The new safety training involves 3½ hours in a classroom environment followed by the same length of time spent in the traffic on a bicycle.
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The company has 182 London branches and is the biggest builders providers in the UK making it an ideal candidate to lead by example.
It is hoped that the company’s participation in the scheme will not only increase safety for London cyclists because the drivers have now seen the streets from a cycling perspective, but will also encourage other firms with large fleets to get involved.
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The Safe Urban Driving course is accredited by Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme established by Transport for London.
One of the drivers to undergo the training, Jeff Morris (63), told The Evening Standard newspaper in London that he was a reluctant cyclist at first.
“I was sceptical about the training. However, when I did it I was surprised,” said Morris, who drivers a 32-tonne lorry, one of the biggest in the company’s London fleet.
“Cycling with a truck beside you is genuinely scary. I’m glad I got to see that for myself and can now play a role in making the streets of London safer for cyclists.”
Travis Perkins’ head of group transport risk and compliance, Ron Searle, said the company was determined to play its part in making the roads safer for cyclists.
“The aim of the training is to put drivers in the shoes of cyclists and make them aware of how frightening it is to cycle next to a lorry,” he said.
“It has been hugely successful and we are delighted to make a long-term commitment that puts this at the heart of our training programme for drivers.
“What has been fascinating is that most drivers are initially reluctant to get on a bike.
“However, when they do it they are vocally supportive, highlighting how useful the exercise was and just how scary heavy goods vehicles can be when on a bike in the drivers’ blind spots.”
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