MPA launched its Cycle Safe campaign to prevent collisions between cyclists and lorries in 2011 and introduced a vulnerable road user (VRU) safety policy in 2012, featuring driver training and vehicle equipment requirements. MPA was the first industry group to introduce such requirements and this reflected members’ and more widespread concern at the level of fatal and serious injuries to cyclists in particular resulting from collisions with construction HGVs.
In 2013, TfL facilitated an initiative to develop a single unified VRU safety standard for clients, contractors and the supply chain to work to. MPA and MPA members have been leading contributors in the development of this Standard for Construction Logistics (known as the CLOCS standard), introduced in December 2013, and MPA is now a CLOCS Champion.
The construction industry in general, like MPA, has had a strong focus on improving site safety in recent years and the aim of the CLOCS standard is that clients, contractors and suppliers will extend this focus to include the road safety of vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians. Given the combination of increasing levels of cycling, high levels of pedestrians and active construction markets there is significant potential for increasing numbers of collisions between cyclists and pedestrians and construction materials delivery vehicles throughout the UK. This is of course an issue for all construction deliveries and there is an equivalent responsibility for all road users and cyclists to behave safely. The MPA policy is designed to ensure that MPA members can take effective and proportionate action and professional drivers are supported.
The CLOCS standard includes much of what is in the MPA policy, but also additional requirements for the supply chain and for clients and contractors. For example, contractors and clients need to specify adherence to CLOCS in their procurement conditions and then enforce these conditions during the course of contracts. Contractors and clients have a responsibility to ensure safe HGV access and egress to and from construction sites and also to ensure that sites are safe for vehicle unloading. To read MPA’s Vulnerable Road User Summary, which simply and clearly explains what is required und er the CLOCS Standard and MPA’s VRU Policy, click here.
Visit the CLOCS website.
Nigel Jackson, Chief Executive MPA, said, “We believe that our policy is the most positive initiative undertaken by any sector with regard to improving vulnerable road user safety and reflects the industry’s commitment to this issue. “This is not a campaign for a day, or a week, or a month, this is forever. This issue is not going to go away. We are going to play our part and we hope others will do likewise.”