The Mineral Products Association (MPA) welcomes The Times' [newspaper] Cities fit for Cycling campaign, which broadly aligns with the MPA's Cycle Safe Campaign and 6 Point Plan launched nationally at Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner, London, on 15 June, 2011.
The Mineral Products Association ( MPA) welcomes The Times’ [newspaper] Cities fit for Cycling campaign, which broadly aligns with the MPA’s Cycle Safe Campaign and 6 Point Plan launched nationally at Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner, London, on 15 June, 2011.
MPA’s Cycle Safe campaign aims to prevent collisions between cyclists and large goods vehicles (LGVs), by raising awareness on both sides of how to cycle and drive as safely as possible.
Nigel Jackson, chief executive MPA, said: “Our sector is committed to playing its part in minimising hazards and risks for all road users and we support the objectives of The Times’ Cities fit for Cycling campaign to prevent accidents involving cyclists and other road users.
“We have carried out, and are planning, a number of actions in support of Cyclist Safety via our 6 Point Plan, which is at the forefront of our strategy. In particular, we are developing an approved industry training course focussed specifically on reducing collisions between industry vehicles and vulnerable road users, including cyclists.”
To date over 27,000 industry drivers have undertaken the additional mandatory Driver Skills safety training required by MPA and members, which includes cyclist safety within its scope. The new training course which MPA is pushing is focussed specifically on cyclist safety and vulnerable road users and will support current training requirements.
LGV drivers are now required to have a Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) qualification in addition to a driving licence. The existing Driver Skills training undertaken by drivers working for MPA members has been approved for CPC purposes and we will ensure that the vulnerable road user course now in development is also CPC approved.
Nigel Jackson added, “It is critical that that all parties, drivers, companies, cyclists, police and regulators, work together to make our roads safer. This is a long term challenge, but one to which MPA and its members are committed.”
