On Friday 25 September, the City of London hosted its first ‘Women’s Safer Cycling Day’ and one of London’s leading waste management companies, O’Donovan Waste Disposal supported the event by encouraging delegates to view the road from the perspective of a HGV driver.

O’Donovan Waste Disposal provided a Scania Roll on Roll off bin lorry from its fleet of 85 HGVs for the event which took place at the Guildhall Yard, to allow the lady cyclists to sit in the cab of the HGV. The activity gave the cyclists a view of the road from the driver’s perspective, enabling them to better understand the blind spots around such vehicles. This experience has previously proven extremely successful with the Metropolitan Police’s Exchanging Places events, which O’Donovan regularly takes part in.

With the number of female cyclists disproportionately represented in London’s cycling casualties, the aim of the City of London event was to engage specifically with women cyclists and promote safer cycling. The day also aimed to raise awareness of the benefits to health and wellbeing.  

As a waste operator working extensively on construction projects in the capital, O’Donovan Waste Disposal is keen to ensure that the focus on cycle safety is kept at the forefront within its industry. As such, the company undertakes a large number of initiatives to help improve road risk management, including ensuring all its fleet of HGVs are fitted with the optimum in safety equipment and its drivers are highly skilled. All O’Donovan drivers undertake a programme of regular, ongoing training which, in addition to the more traditional classroom-based training, includes Safe Urban Driving courses. These courses provide drivers with a practical element which sees them taking to London’s streets on a bicycle to experience first-hand, cycling in close proximity to HGVs to better understand the hazards and issues faced by cyclists.

Jacqueline O’Donovan, managing director, O’Donovan Waste Disposal said: “There have recently been a number of measures to help protect vulnerable road users in London, not least the Safer Lorry Scheme. However the opportunity for cyclists and operators to meet at this type of event can only be beneficial for all who take part. At O’Donovan we invest heavily to ensure we do all we can to protect both our drivers and other road users and I welcomed this opportunity from the City of London to help raise awareness specifically amongst the female cycling community.”