More than 100 people have attended safe urban driving courses provided by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and Nationwide Cycling Academy (NCA) designed to improve drivers’ road safety skills when dealing with pedestrians and cyclists.
Individuals and employees of businesses based in the Greater Manchester region have been taking part in the course since February.
The course, which costs £10 per person and is subsidised by TfGM, is designed for professional HGV, LGV and PCV drivers to help define who vulnerable road users are, as well as to provide guidance on ways to reduce risks and avoid accidents whilst on the road.
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Delivered by NCA trainers, the safe urban driving course is approved by the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence and Fleet Operators Recognition Scheme.
It also meets the requirements for the Work-Related Road Risk and the Construction Logistics and Cyclists Safety schemes.
Greater Manchester Police superintendent and Safer Roads Partnership chair, Julie Ellison, said: “Ensuring the safety of all road users is of critical importance to us, and these safe urban driving courses play an essential role in helping to reduce risks and accidents.
“Drivers operating in areas with high volumes of vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians, are given guidance on how to share the road safely and reduce the risk for themselves and others.
“It’s encouraging to see that over 100 people, including drivers for commercial operators and sole traders, have completed the course, and I’d urge others who want their vehicles to be driven in the safest way possible to do the same.”
The safe urban driving courses are currently scheduled to run until the end of September, with further dates to be added throughout the year.
Achievements and innovations in road safety will be celebrated at the third annual CiTTi Awards, which will be held on 26 November 2024 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Nominations are open now! Please visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector