Conference chairman, Brian Weatherley, ‘FORS is not standing still, it is growing and developing to help you deliver the very best practice.’

The conference aptly placed at the National Motorcycle Museum saw both Two wheels and vans find their way into the version five launch of the FORS standard. It’s a decade on from the beginning of the standard. Updates across the grades of bronze silver and gold and a true national footprint aimed at driver training, fleet safety and clean air. CLOCS and Driver Vision Standards all on the deliveries. Taking a look at the future path for FORS. Special achievement award. Garry Lewis at Tarmac takes a special award for improving drivers in the supply chain. Dealing with over 800 hauliers in the tarmac supply chain.

Detail of the keynote lines below:-

The Blue lanyards adorned the conf centre - Welcome and introduction Brian Weatherley, Conference Chairman, ‘ten years and today version five.’ ‘Without vehicles, Britain is going no where.’ ‘Watch London, what London does today the rest of UK follows tomorrow.’ Evolving the scheme: FORS 10 years on and at version five – John Hix and Paul Wilkes, FORS explained the journey of the standard.

Glen Davies – FORS V5

‘Powered two wheelers, L-plates, this challenged FORS, we have come in harsher than compliance, you must have CBT and theory test to demonstrate knowledge of highway code to achieve Bronze Standard FORS, by Silver standard you must have a full licence for powered two wheeler operatives.

FORS driving forward best practice: 2018 Standard review – A double delivery by Glen Davies and Graham Holder

Opened by Glen, ‘The FORS standard is revised every two years, it’s a moving feast, the R word for recognition, recognition from the insurance sector, recognition from compliance and audit bodies, recognition from the associate suppliers. The big agenda remains road safety, tragic incidents of terrorism has brought new measures to the standard. We also have new toolkits to work towards the standard.’

Graham Holder, ‘A lively debate from version four, thirty members in the TAG group,  input from GSAG group, input from LoCITY, then gap analysis to existing industry schemes, aligning to emerging policy such as direct vision.’ ‘All the health & safety documents are in M8 and we know require 16 risk statements. Such can all be reviewed at the HSE web site. Nominating a fuel champion has moved to Bronze.

Alina Tuerk, TfL, Pushing the blind spot agenda direct from London Mayor Sadiq Khan and the Vision Zero policy.

Alina Tuerk, TfL spoke Direct Vision Scheme. ‘Context of DVS lies with two wheels in London, starting in 2012, through CLOCS research we found construction vehicles and two wheels to be a vision issue. We have also looked at site suitability and vehicle access, particularly low entry. Where are we at with DVS? In 50 years truck design is hardly changed, only today do we see change for high vision vehicles. How did we go about developing the standard? A real collaborative approach, drivers, operators, pedestrians, cyclists, regulators and experts. We have modelled the 3d space the driver can see from the cab, the volume and distance that can be see, we translate this into a six point rating. Five star is the best vision standard. We are planning to implement in London via a scheme for everything over twelve tones from October next year with a one year space to compliance. Lowest grade vehicles (one star) will be banned from London. We have aligned a system with FORS Silver, blind spot cameras, audible alerts and warning signage.’ ‘We have been clear, this should go wider than London.’ ‘There will be a final consultation early next year. The next ten years, we are looking to strengthen the scheme as safety equipment evolves, we are calling for all new vehicles to be inside DVS for 2026.

Derek Rees, CLOCS. Driving positive change in Construction Logistics and Community Safety.

‘FORS and CLOCS, compatibility compliance, FORS and CLOCS work together. 463 vulnerable road user fatalities, it’s bigger than just cyclists. People see this as a London challenge, it’s a challenge for all regions across the UK. CLOCS came from Sir Peter Henday and Boris Johnson, it was found HGVS were disproportionally involved. They saw a time for a single standards, CLOCS was born. With CLOCS, construction has lead the way in health and safety with a huge reduction in road traffic accidents. Today, 620 organisations are signed up as CLOCS champions. The new CLOCS standard has not yet been published, like FORS it is reviewed every two years, consultation and review has been about eradicating collisions and bringing the key stake holders together. CLOCS is about collecting collision information and ensuring the collisions do not happen again. – Aligned with FORS we have one standard.’ ‘Operators who meet FORS silver comply with CLOCS.’

Mark Thomas, Environmental Agency

‘Putting the brakes on waste crime.  Environment agency wants to work more closely with FORS. Our aim is to prevent environmental crime in the road haulage industry.’ Mark spoke passionately, ‘ I have done more than a decade on waste crime, I understand the constraints you face. FORS members can be prevented from becoming victims of waste crime. FORS controls on load security is recognised by Environmental agency, standards designed specifically to raise the bar on commercial waste.  It is easy for unwitting transport businesses to become involved in waste crime. Penalties align with landfill tax that runs over eighty pounds a tonne. We seek to raise awareness of waste crime through FORS, we look to you to assist us in better understanding of environmental protection.’

‘Relationships’ The future path for FORS, lessons from Parliament – Robert Flello, Founder of the Parliamentary Freight Transport Group and former Stoke on Trent MP.

‘Great conference lunch, huge queues from a giant audience, will we see more queues like this post Brexit?’ ‘Many MPs see transport as passenger vehicles, within Westminster freight transport is often seen as a nuisance.’ ‘Most transport questions focus on passengers, aside from Brexit related freight there are very few questions. Bus is always the common subject as does HS2. Typically an MP has seventy thousand voters, for most MPs it’s the constituents who get the attention, not the business, even if an MP contacts a local business feedback is often poor to engage and very rare from freight transport. Select committees, currently nine enquiries, only one is freight related and that’s focused on Brexit.  Freight issues are not high on the govt agenda. I felt freight transport was neglected, hence founding the parliamentary freight transport group. The purpose of the cross party group was to raise the profile of freight sector, it was widely respected.’ ‘Today it is important that the transport sector and industry speaks with one voice, Ministers want one voice. FORS is well known but believe it or not there are others out there with other schemes, it needs to be one voice, not competing parties with different voices.’ ‘ A single voice with relationships, you need a strong working relationship with your MP. Finally eggs and baskets, many organisations lobby ministers but they come and go, my advice is meet the MP that has interest in your sector. Building such good relationships is important as it is with local mayors and councils.’ ‘decide on your ask and build that with a group of MPs, have a strong message, an event in parliament. Build your relationships.’

FORS Standard version 5.0: Bronze, Silver and Gold explained

Glen Davies and Paul Wilkes talked detail of five. ‘Don’t just jump in, use the preamble, we have detailed temporary vehicles and driver information, related requirements, professional development, there are templates and resources as well as transitional steps.’ ‘M1 know provides a list of everything you must have, it shows need of staff resources and the need for organisation chart.’ ‘At Bronze, M6 requires a register of the number and type of all your vehicles, registration marks and trailers. M8 is health and safety. No great change for V1 V2 and V3 but V5 has been split between trucks, vans and powered two wheelers. Vehicle communication, hands free devices, moving towards banning such comms, Bronze is should not use, however when used it must have conditions of use. D6 drug and alcohol, been introduced as a should test pre- employment or at start of a new contract. These are likely to become shall in the future standards. The other half of M11 is clean air. Counter Terrorism is a hot topic and must have a champion in place.’ ‘At Silver you need cameras, frensal lenses are no longer accepted, S7 noise pollution no change but has come down from goal. S8 ensures a flow of information across the business, showing a flow of knowledge on FORS.’ ‘Gold, a parity between safety and environment, nominated FORS practioner in place, a fleet review on sustainable operations, direct vision standards, clever use of vehicles, reducing mileage out of the network, mode shift, consolidation or good use of technology. S9 contracted services, a flow down to sub-contracts at gold.’

Glen Davies – FORS V5 - ‘Powered two wheelers, L plates, this challenged FORS, we have come in harsher than compliance, you must have CBT and theory test to demonstrate knowledge of highway code to achieve Bronze Standard FORS, by Silver standard you must have a full licence for powered two wheeler operatives.

Safeguarding you and FORS – Alan Harvey and Graham Holder, ‘Companies must comply to UK regulations, if we do not hear from you, you will be suspended. Compliance officers will go out and check, work related road team and you are our eyes and ears on the ground, it is important everyone sticks to the rules, companies not sticking to the rules, we will check the details.‘ Graham outlined appeals procedures and a route to an amicable result. If you are not satisfied you can ask for referral to the GSAG group.’

Chairman’s conclusion – Brian Weatherley, Conference Chairman, ‘The third National conf, a great event, this morning we were told about the development. Don’t think FORS is only for big members, it’s for all. Apprentices, you must invest in apprentices for our next generation. We were told about next steps in DVS by TfL. FORS and CLOCS are great steps to DVS success. In the afternoon Rob Flello spoke passionately on influencing decision makers in govt with a clear message.’ ‘FORS is not standing still, it is growing and developing to help you deliver the very best practice.’

Rob Flello ‘freight sector must speak with one voice’

TfL team talk LoCITY at FORS Conf

Garry Lewis, Tarmac and FORS GSAG Wins special achievement award

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