All Serco London Vehicles 'Cyclist Safe' By 1 September 2015

Serco is equipping its entire fleet of waste and recycling vehicles across London with cutting edge cyclist safety technology in support of the Safer London Lorry Scheme, which comes into force on 1 September. There have been 8 cyclist deaths in the Capital this year and 7 of those involved collisions with HGVs. One of the world's leading public service providers, Serco, operates over 117 Heavy Goods Vehicles HGVs in the form of Refuse Collection Vehicles RCVs inside the M25 on behalf of Bexley, Wandsworth, Hammersmith and Fulham, Havering and Newham boroughs.

In Spring 2014, the company announced its decision to adopt the Cyclear cyclist warning display system after successfully trialling the system in Wandsworth, and then installing the equipment to 23 RCVs in the London Borough of Havering. Cyclear was developed in the UK by vehicle safety technology company Innovative Safety Systems Ltd ISS and comprises an illuminated sign and speaker to alert cyclists and vulnerable road users when the vehicle is turning left.

All 117 Serco London HGVs fitted with Cyclear ahead of September deadline

Philip Quelch, National Fleet and Plant Manager, Serco said: We were looking for the right technology and the feedback from our crews about Cyclear has been extremely positive. ISS has developed this technology specifically for waste and recycling vehicles and the quality of the technology is superb. We are confident the Cyclear makes our vehicles safer and helps to prevent accidents with vulnerable road users.

The rollout across London involves installing the system to 35 new RCVs being delivered in August for Bexley and Hammersmith and Fulham and 4 arboriculture vehicles in Newham. Gavin Thoday, Director, ISS said: Serco's road testing and adoption of Cyclear has been crucial in demonstrating how effective the technology is in an operational environment, in a busy urban setting. One of our challenges was to eliminate the false alarming that has proven to be a common problem with other systems. The Cyclear sensors can distinguish between the usual stationary objects at the side of the road such as signposts and buildings and a vulnerable road user such as a cyclist.

Philip added: We would be keen to introduce this technology in other urban areas where we operate outside of London subject to the success and outcome of the London installations. As well as Cyclear, ISS designs, supplies, installs and maintains the full range of safety and lighting products.