The Mineral Products Association (MPA) supported Cambridge University Freshers’ Fair by running a well-received Cycle Safe event as part of its national campaign to promote cycle safety. Hanson UK supported the event, providing a cement tanker for the safety demonstration. Over 100 cyclists, including students and members of the public, got into the vehicle to watch the demonstration with a bicycle and find out where to position themselves safely on the road when cycling in relation to large goods vehicles
The Mineral Products Association (MPA) supported Cambridge University Freshers’ Fair by running a well-received Cycle Safe event as part of its national campaign to promote cycle safety. Hanson UK supported the event, providing a cement tanker for the safety demonstration.
Over 100 cyclists, including students and members of the public, got into the vehicle to watch the demonstration with a bicycle and find out where to position themselves safely on the road when cycling in relation to large goods vehicles (LGVs) to avoid collisions.
Everyone who took part in the event was offered a free high visibility vest to take away with them and safety leaflets were also distributed.
Nigel Jackson, chief executive MPA, said: “MPA’s Cycle Safe campaign aims to prevent collisions between cyclists and LGVs by raising awareness on both sides of how to cycle and drive as safely as possible.
“Our sector is committed to playing its part in minimising hazards and risks for all road users. We particularly wanted to attract students new to cycling, and are very pleased that we managed to reach as many cyclists as we did. We hope that they will have found the experience very valuable for when they are out on the [County] Cambridgeshire [England] roads.
“We urge cyclists to be aware of the potential risks of undertaking LGVs and getting too close to them at left-hand turns and roundabouts. The most dangerous situation is when cyclists are on the nearside of vehicles turning left.”
Julian Huppert, Member of Parliament (MP) for Cambridge and joint chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Cycling Group also visited the event to see the MPA’s outreach work in action. He said:
“This is an excellent campaign. Heavy goods vehicles pose a dangerous risk to cyclists and, by raising awareness through campaigns such as this hopefully we can reduce the number of deaths and serious accidents on our roads.”
“By working together and with everyone playing his or her part, we can make cycling safer and encourage more cyclists onto our roads.”
Cambridge is a major cycling city and Cambridge City Council was the first to sign up to The Times newspaper’s Cities Fit for Cycling Campaign launched in February 2012.
