Lorries and cycle safety

We are committed to ensuring the safety of cyclists in the Borough around Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs).

Our approach

We take a multi-tiered approach to ensuring safety:

FORS (Fleet Operators Recognition Scheme) and other vehicle safety systems

We have achieved 'Bronze' status in the Fleet Operators Recognition Scheme (FORS). Our main contractors Veolia and Conway have also both achieved 'Silver' status in FORS and are committed to improving road safety and in particular cycle safety. Many of Richmond’s businesses are already signed up to this scheme and those who have not signed up yet are actively encouraged to.

Cycle alerts

Our own small fleet of vehicles are now procured with suitable ‘cycle alert’ devices on the nearside of the vehicles. Our latest Health and Safety document requires all drivers (driving vehicles over 3.5 tonnes) to undertake Drivers CPC training which is aimed at further improving road safety.

National Standard Cycle Training

We arrange comprehensive cycle training to the National Standard for both adults and children. Children as young as 10/11 are taught about the dangers of cycling up the inside of large vehicles on their Level 2 on road training. Level 3 training is on offer to adults and focuses on HGVs and how to deal with unexpected manoeuvres.

Educational and publicity events- Exchanging Places

We also hold ‘Exchanging Places’ events with the Police to highlight the dangers of cycling up the inside of large vehicles. This scheme sees cyclists sit in the cab of an HGV to see just how limited the driver’s views of cyclists can be, particularly up the near side. We work with businesses in the Borough on their Work Related Road Risk strategies, which incorporate maintaining driver standards for their drivers, and encouraging their fleet drivers to undertake cycle training to better understand the manoeuvres cyclists make.

Increasing the number of safe cycle routes

We are committed to a programme of increasing cycle safety within the Borough in all departments and have a rolling programme of improvements on our highways to increase the number of safe cycle routes.

Find out more

The London Cycling Campaign (LCC) is running a Safer Lorries, Safer Cycling Campaign.

Contact

For more information about cyclist safety please contact the Safety Education team:

Telephone: 020 8487 5131
Email: safety-education@richmond.gov.uk