On the 2-4th June, manufacturers, operators and SHEQ representatives came together at the Millbrook Proving Ground for the unveiling of Transport for London’s (TfL) Bus Safety Standard 2 (BSS2). This significant milestone is the next step in the Vision Zero plan to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries that occur across the London transport network. Dawsongroup bus and coach was thrilled to be able to support the event behind the scenes.
The three days and Millbrook were a celebration of the innovation and dedication of the transport industry. Attendees were able to watch live demonstrations of the latest safety technologies and hear from the visionaries in charge of making change happen.
Highlights from the event included demonstrations of new emergency braking systems, driver fatigue and distraction monitoring technology, and enhanced visibility systems. The new standard is built around four key principles: safe driving, crash avoidance, crash protection and post-crash safety. New safety and comfort measures were the topic of many discussions, including redesigned driver cabs to improve comfort, technology to monitor driver alertness, enhanced pedestrian and cyclist detection systems, and new features aimed at reducing passenger slips, trips and falls.
Future requirements will also include bridge-strike prevention technology and systems that prevent a vehicle moving off when vulnerable road users are detected directly in front of the bus.
For an event with safety at the fore, the organisers were determined to ensure the comfort and protection of all attendees. This is why we were happy to provide a shuttle bus service between the Centre MK Train station and Millbrook. At Dawsongroup, the safety and wellbeing of every passenger that steps foot in our vehicle is a priority and it was a privilege to be able to provide a safe, comfortable, reliable solution for all those taking public transport to the launch.
Vision Zero
First implemented in Sweden thirty years ago, Vision Zero’s ambition to stop all transport-related deaths and serious injuries by 2041 is a big commitment. Speaking about it on their website, TfL states that “It is neither inevitable nor acceptable that anyone should be killed or seriously injured when travelling in London. When we leave our homes each day, we should feel safe and confident about the journey ahead.”
Around 100 people are killed on the London Transport Network each year, with a further 3,000 being seriously injured. Tackling this problem requires the creation of transport networks that plan for human error, minimising the opportunity for mistakes to be made.
TfL began this journey back in 2018 with the introduction of the original Bus Safety Standard. This roadmap set out new requirements for safer speeds, streets, vehicles and behaviour, as well as post-collision support and investigation. Its implementation has seen massive success, with deaths and serious injuries declining year on year since. BSS2 is the next step. Its updated framework is the result of extensive research and is set to usher in a new era of safer travel.
The Future of Safe Travel
For operators and suppliers, BSS2 offers a glimpse into the future of transport, and a reminder of just how far the industry has come in recent years and an indication of the direction for vehicle safety standards over the coming decade. As technology and transport design continues to develop, we, as a collective, move ever closer to the goal of truly safe travel.
