The Construction Logistics and Cyclist Safety (CLOCS) campaign to cut the number of accidents involving construction HGVs in collision with cyclists and pedestrians has now signed up 100 “champions”.
The campaign was initiated two years ago by Transport for London and the industry with the aim of giving on-road safety the same priority and prominence as onsite safety.
The CLOCS initiative focuses on three streams of work to reduce the risk of a collision between construction vehicles and vulnerable road users:
- improving vehicle safety through the design and manufacture of safer new vehicles, and fitting safety equipment to existing vehicles;
- addressing construction’s “safety imbalance” by ensuring road safety is considered as site safety;
- encouraging adoption of best practice in construction logistics, by developing a common national standard and embedding a new cultural norm.
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CLOCS “champions” are fleet operators, construction clients and developers who have committed to implementing the CLOCS Standard in their own organisations and supply chains. Clients include Battersea Power Station, Thames Tideway Tunnel, Crossrail and the London Borough of Camden; contractors include ISG, Vinci and Morgan Sindall.
Other organisations championing CLOCS include the ICE, the UKCG and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, cycling campaign group See Me Save Me, the Road Peace charity for road accident victims, and the Considerate Constructors Scheme.
John Hix, CLOCS project director, said: “Cyclist fatalities are on the rise and it’s a sad fact that too many of these incidents involve construction vehicles. But there has been a huge response to the problem from the construction industry, demonstrated by so many companies, of all sizes, embracing the CLOCS initiative and making a true commitment to change.
“As we pass the 100 Champions mark, and with numbers continuing to increase, we encourage operators nationwide to look at the impact this work is already having. Talking to us and the other existing Champions about improving on-road safety could be beneficial for not just other road users but also their own staff and businesses.”
Between 2008 and 2013, 55% of cyclist fatalities in London involved an HGV, and a disproportionate number of these were construction vehicles.
