Local construction waste management company, with 85-strong fleet, educates school children about road safety in a bid to promote collaboration between cyclists, pedestrians and HGVs
O’Donovan Waste Disposal, a Tottenham-based family-run fleet operator and London’s leading independent waste management company, visited two Tottenham schools this week as part of the UK’s biggest road safety event, Road Safety Week (21-27 November 2016).
Coordinated by Brake, the road safety charity, Road Safety Week 2016 saw thousands of organisations, schools and community groups back the ‘Make the Brake Pledge’ campaign, helping to spread awareness about six pledge points to save lives and the planet: Slow, Sober, Secure, Silent, Sharp and Sustainable.
As part of the company’s commitment to CSR, O’Donovan represented the construction industry by bringing the ‘Exchanging Places’ programme to West Green Primary and St John Vianney on Wednesday – giving children the opportunity to learn about the relationship between cyclists, pedestrians and HGVs on London’s busy roads.
Exchanging Places is run by the Met Police and City Police throughout the year, offering cyclists the chance to sit inside the cab of a lorry to help them view the road from the driver’s perspective – encouraging collaboration, mutual learning and understanding.
Throughout the week, more than 150 children – aged between 8-11 years old – gained first-hand experience of the lorry, inside and out, and heard from O’Donovan Logistics Supervisor Paul Neal and Fleet Risk Manager Liam Clement-Smith about the importance of road safety and the work being done to ensure safe logistics operations on London’s roads.
O’Donovan provided tipper lorries to show the children first-hand how innovation has led to improved safety features in lorries to keep vulnerable road users safer.
O’Donovan is leading the way in road safety, with the latest additions to its fleet the ground-breaking Mercedes Benz Econic 4×2 skip loaders 1830L with previously unseen safety features, offering the driver an unparalleled view of vulnerable road users. As a Construction Logistics and Community Safety (CLOCS) Champion, O’Donovan is taking resolute steps and encouraging cultural change to reduce the road danger posed by construction industry vehicles.
O’Donovan managing director and UK Business Woman of the Year, Jacqueline O’Donovan, said:
“We were delighted to take part in Rod Safety Week this year, especially having a presence in primary schools. It’s vital that we educate children about road safety and, as a progressive company known for bold decisions, we are keen to ensure we are making the best choices to help further protect vulnerable road users – and this includes an education process for the younger generation. We continue to make significant ongoing investments in our fleet and drivers to ensure that we are in the best possible position to do this.”
