London Borough of Hackney champions ‘Driving for Better Business’

The London Borough of Hackney is blazing a trail for other local authorities with the introduction of a wide range of at-work driving safety initiatives that has seen the council become a ‘business champion’ under the Government-backed ‘Driving for Better Business’ campaign, which is delivered by RoadSafe.

Hackney is the first local authority in London to achieve ‘business champion’ status and is one of only four councils in the country among the now 29 organisations that have achieved ‘champion’ status and are therefore in the vanguard of promoting occupational road risk management.

The Council’s fleet embraces some 350 vehicles including company cars, light commercial vehicles, welfare buses, refuse vehicles, HGVs and plant equipment. In addition more than 450 employees drive their own cars on work-related journeys – the so-called ‘grey’ fleet.

With an estimated up to 200 road deaths and serious injuries a week resulting from crashes involving at work drivers, and more employees killed and seriously injured on Britain’s roads while driving on behalf of their employer than in any other work-related activity, the campaign aims to cut the carnage.

Overseeing the implementation, legislative compliance and effectiveness of the Council’s initiatives is its newly established Fleet Management Unit (FMU), a key department within the Council’s Finance Directorate. The Unit is also responsible for co-ordinating the Council’s fleet transport management processes.

The FMU is crucial to the implementation of the new safe driving strategy following a root and branch review of existing practices.

Additionally, the FMU is charged with providing cost-effective and efficient fleet operations that have a far-reaching effect on all Council departments and services as well as partner organisations, contractors and volunteers.

A further strand of the FMU’s work is to provide advice and guidance to departmental managers and drivers on all aspects of work-related road safety.

This includes advice on ensuring that at-work drivers are ‘fit’ to take to the road; ensuring that vehicles are well-maintained and are fit-for-purpose; advice on journey planning; providing bespoke employee training where required; ‘grey fleet’ drivers are monitored and vehicle documentation checked.

In addition licence checks are carried out on all drivers; drivers’ hours are recorded; daily vehicle inspection checks are carried out; a vehicle defect reporting process has been introduced alongside improved vehicle maintenance scheduling and record keeping; and all road traffic accidents are investigated.

As part of ongoing safety-focused improvements to the fleet the FMU is looking at introducing a telematics system to assess and improve driver behaviour and improve vehicle and driver efficiencies. Organisations that have introduced the technology have typically reported fuel consumption savings of around 10%, recorded productivity improvements of 15%, cut staff overtimes claims by 10%, seen insurance premium savings of up to 30%. Additionally, in-vehicle telematics will enable the council to further improve its driver and vehicle audit trail in accordance with health and safety related at-work driving legislation.

The FMU is also carrying out a trial that sees visual and audible warning equipment fitted to three vehicles advising cyclists that the driver is turning left. If the pilot proves a success the Council will consider rolling it out to other vehicles.

The Council has not centralised its fleet operation, but the aim of the FMU is to provide ‘over-arching guidance’ to deliver efficiency and legal compliance.

Chris Hudson, Assistant Director of Procurement and Fleet, said: “The Council recognised that the traditional devolved management processes for controlling the use of vehicles for both Council-owned and ‘grey fleet’ vehicles were no longer relevant to the complexity of the transport resource. Therefore, the Council has established the FMU to co-ordinate all vehicle-related activities.

“Each user’s requirements are quite different and responsibility is delegated to the appropriate management level for detailed procedures relevant to particular equipment or procedures.”

Importantly, the Council says that achieving the highest standards of health and safety at work requires the co-operation and commitment of all staff, who are regularly updated on initiatives and reminded of the importance of safe driving both through online communications and at team briefings.

Mr. Hudson said: “All managers have a responsibility to build safety into all their decision-making and to ensure that their staff and volunteers understand the responsibility which they have for their own and others safety. This includes their safety and the safety of others whilst driving or using specialist equipment fitted to their vehicles.”

To ensure that vehicle and driver-safety procedures are followed, FMU staff carry out departmental inspection visits on a regular basis to monitor performance against laid down standards and ensure compliance.

It is too early to assess the impact of the new policy and procedures on accident reduction and related cost savings.   

However, Mr. Hudson said: “Accidents cost money that could be spent on further improving Council services. We want our senior managers to become more aware of the costs associated with the fleet and drive down vehicle damage-related expenditure.”

‘Driving for Better Business’ campaign director Caroline Scurr said: “With the creation of the FMU, Hackney Council has bridged the gap between creating a health and safety policy embracing at-work driving safety and ensuring procedures are carried out on the frontline.

“Through its actions the Council has created a roadmap which is a significant step forward in occupational road risk management within the public sector.

“Our ‘business champions’ have a crucial role to play in promoting occupational road risk management across the UK, and Hackney Council is now a beacon of best practice that other local authorities would do well to follow.”

Author: Lee Sibbald, October 29, 2009
Filed under: Fleet news,RoadSafe

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