Grundon Waste Management has just revealed our cutting-edge electric waste collection vehicle for Bristol. Complete with the latest in safety systems for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, it is the embodiment of an ever-improving industry approach to vehicle safety.
As a responsible company, we takes our obligations to the environment and communities in which we operate very seriously.
As well as helping with the management of waste and encouraging recycling around the city, we also want to ensure we fulfil our responsibilities to safety on the streets of Bristol.
We’ve just launched our new electric waste collection vehicle in the city – you’ll see it driving around our local streets over coming days and weeks.
The vehicle is eco-friendly, with low emissions of CO2 and noise, and it’s also our safest lorry yet thanks to a range of systems which protect the environment and the safety of the people near it.
Such features range from clear marking of risky areas to safety locks on wheels, special side bars to prevent anything getting pulled under the vehicle, audible and visual warnings to protect any people behind it or on the nearside, extra mirrors to keep the driver fully aware of their surroundings and added lighting and glass areas to enhance visibility.
All these measures combine to make this new vehicle our safest yet, not only reducing harm to the wider environment but minimising risk in its immediate surroundings too.
Regulations around the operation of vehicle fleets are understandably tight, with the UK having the world’s first Direct Vision Standards rules for heavy goods vehicles to improve safety for all road users.
In addition, Grundon is also a member of the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS), a voluntary accreditation scheme set up to demonstrate that operators have achieved levels of best practice in safety, efficiency and environmental protection.
It’s been several years now since Grundon launched its UK-wide cycle safety campaign and the principles behind this have really come to the fore in Bristol, a city in which cycling is highly popular.
As a company, we’ve gone to extensive lengths to minimise risk of accidents with cyclists by installing 360-degree cameras, side bars, scanners and audible warning systems.
We give all our drivers intensive training programmes so they understand what to expect from other road users. In Bristol, we have sent drivers out in the city on bicycles so that they know the city’s roads from a cyclist’s point of view.
Of course, it’s important to say that road safety is a two-way street and we’re relying on all our other fellow road users to play their parts in reducing the chances of accidents.
When we launched our campaign, we gave cyclists the chance to sit in the cab of one of our larger vehicles. This helped them understand the challenges our drivers face, navigating busy streets in a big lorry with other vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists to look out for.
That’s why it’s vital that cyclists obey traffic rules, use lanes sensibly and think about driver blind spots, particularly at junctions when vehicles are likely to be changing lanes or turning.
We know that there can be friction between cyclists and operators of mechanical road-going vehicles. We believe that collaboration, as well as an appreciation of the concept of shared space, is the key ingredient to make sure everyone gets along.
To find out more about Grundon’s approach to road safety, visit www.grundon.com
