Transport for London’s (TfL’s) CLOCS programme has been awarded the Premier Prince Michael International Road Safety Award for its rapid success in improving HGV road safety.
The Premier Award recognises the most outstanding achievement in road safety from a series of road safety categories. Early this year CLOCS was selected as a Prince Michael International Road Safety Award winner and the Premier Award highlights it as this year’s leading road safety initiative or product.
The TfL-funded CLOCS programme was lauded as innovative, well researched and well managed. CLOCS has also been celebrated as an example of how public sector leadership can catalyse the private sector. More than 15 safer HGV designs with low-entry cabs and larger windows have been created by vehicle manufactures through CLOCS’ stimulus.
Ben Plowden, Director of Surface Strategy and Planning at TfL, said: “Further improving the safety of our roads is one of our key priorities, and we have clear commitments and an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on London’s roads by 50 per cent by 2020.
“Receiving this prestigious international award recognises the results of our efforts and is clearly a huge honour for our staff and our colleagues across the construction industry. This recognition is important. It will encourage more companies to get on-board the collaborative CLOCS programme to improve road safety at a faster rate.”
In announcing His Premier Award HRH Prince Michael of Kent said: “The private sector can make a huge contribution, especially when working closely with public authorities.
“In our cities, especially in London we face a continuing challenge to keep our pedestrians and cyclists safe. So it is with great delight that this year my Premier Award goes to the team behind the CLOCS programme – a fine example of successful cooperation.”
CLOCS has the first holistic approach to improving HGV safety. A large part of CLOCS’ success is due to the collaborative partnership with authorities, manufacturers, developers and operators. It is driven by industry-led working groups who develop road safety best practice that is then adopted across the construction sector.
CLOCS membership has grown to more than 200 companies, delivering safer vehicle designs and a common national standard - despite being less than three years old.
The consistent standard, which has recently been improved and relaunched, makes it simpler for construction clients to use their buying power to directly influence road safety, by ensuring road risk is managed at every stage of the supply chain .There are now more than 30 major construction clients signed up to CLOCS, with a combined annual turnover of £23bn, all improving the safety of all commercial vehicles generated by their business.
New, safer truck designs are now being built years before any formal changes to regulations have come into force. The wide range of benefits from across the CLOCS programme demonstrate that collaborative working produces clear results and can change how the industry tackles an issue. Using this approach we now want to work with other sectors to improve both road safety and air quality.