Longcliffe Quarries has partnered with the Metropolitan Police to deliver an award-winning safety talk to over 100 HGV drivers in Derbyshire.

The latest event, at Longcliffe’s Curzon Lodge transport depot near Matlock, involved representatives from local companies including Ben Bennetts, Riva Transport, Hartshorne Motor Services, T J Twigg Haulage and Walkers of Ashbourne.

The quarry firm offered four sessions over two days with the invitation open to local companies who operate trucks.

Presentations included a ‘toolbox talk’ from the Met, which covered driver wellbeing and support; roadside checks; load security and myth busting around CV enforcement.

The project was the brainchild of Met Police inspector Richard Wenham and has already involved over 55,000 drivers around the country.

Inspector Wenham said: “Although I am a Met police officer and London’s roads are my home territory, this toolbox talk is already having an impact on national road deaths involving commercial vehicles. In London we have seen a reduction from 34 to 11 in the last two years and a national reduction of 12%.

“The project is about working with industry to promote the best working practices and help keep drivers and other road users safe.

“We were delighted when Longcliffe invited us to present the talk, not only to their own logistics team, but to drivers representing a wide range of other local companies who operate commercial vehicles in the area.

“By hosting an open event like this, they have enabled us to reach 100 more drivers with important messages and guidance.”

Longcliffe’s head of transport James Hopkinson said: “We are very much focussed on safety and that doesn’t just mean within our operations; it also covers our business out on the roads when delivering to customers. We are always looking for ways to refresh our drivers’ training and ensure both their and other road users’ safety is top of mind.”

Inspector Wenham added: “Included in the presentation was an important section on driver wellbeing. Almost half of commercial vehicle-related deaths involve a deliberate act on the part of the deceased, i.e suicide by truck.

“This led to a large section being devoted not only to suicide awareness, but to driver wellbeing, especially post incident. In the talk we offer advice and signpost organisations drivers can turn to for support.

“The presentation covers a variety of subjects and aims to educate, support and empower drivers. We hope the drivers who attended this event went away with important information that will help keep them and other road users safe.”

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