Veolia

Overview

The UK leader in environmental solutions, Veolia provides a comprehensive range of waste, water and energy management services designed to build the circular economy and preserve scarce raw materials.

Veolia group is the global leader in optimized resource management. With nearly 171,000 employees worldwide, the group designs and provides water, waste and energy management solutions that contribute to the sustainable development of communities and industries.

The brief

As one of the UK’s largest fleet operators, Veolia made cyclist awareness key to their vehicle procurement and approach us to advise suitable products to fulfil their safety strategies, investing £1m on improving cycling safety by fitting audible and visual nearside warnings on all its 3,125 vehicles of 3.5t and above.  Part of the strategy was to include a cyclist awareness training programme developed with advice from leading industry players including Transport for London, the Fleet Operators Recognition Scheme (Veolia is a Gold FORS member) and the Construction & Logistics Cyclist Safety Scheme sees drivers getting on a bike and obtaining a ‘cyclist’s eye view’ of an HGV as part of their annual CPC training.

John Matthews, Fleet Director for Veolia said: “By launching this initiative and combining it with a comprehensive driver training scheme we are putting the onus on accident prevention.  We believe there will be enforcement of a minimum cyclist standard for fleet operators in London in due course and these measures reflect the need to promote safety in a demanding operating environment.”

The solution

The million pound contract will mean every existing Veolia waste vehicle will be fitted with Turnalarm  an enhanced audible and visual awareness when making difficult turns in the road, reducing the risk of accidents involving cyclists.  TurnAlarm functions as both an audio and visual warning to approaching cyclists, high intensity LEDs flash from its side mounted position and a high volume speaker provides audible warning that the ‘vehicle is turning’. The contract also includes a module to measure speed, preventing the alarm from activating over 10mph and cautionary blind spot signs for the rear and near side of the vehicle.

James Newhill, Sales Manager at Vision Techniques added “Cyclist safety is key to vehicles driving in any town or city around the country, and we believe by improving both driver and cyclist awareness we can help reduce the risk of these type of accidents on our roads. We’re very proud to secure this momentual contract with Veolia thanks in part to our 25 years of expert knowledge and look forward to more years of working together to improve vehicle safety.”