MPA reaffirms commitment to cyclist safety

Mineral Products Association welcomes The Times’ ‘Cities fit for Cycling’ campaign

THE Mineral Products Asociation (MPA) has welcomed The Times’ ‘Cities fit for Cycling’ campaign, which broadly aligns with the trade association’s own Cycle Safe scheme and 6-Point Plan launched nationally last year.

The 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, MPA chief executive, said: ‘Our sector is committed to playing its part in minimizing 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 focused specifically on reducing collisions between industry vehicles and vulnerable road users, including cyclists.’

To date, more than 27,000 industry drivers have undertaken the additional mandatory ‘Driver Skills’ safety training required by MPA and its members, which includes cyclist safety within its scope. The new training course, which MPA is pushing, is focused 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 MPA will ensure that the vulnerable road user-course now in development is also CPC approved.

Mr 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.’