NRSPP has been successful in securing funding from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative 2018-2019: Round 3 for establishing Construction Logistics and Community Safety  – Australia (CLOCS-A).

NRSPP has been successful in securing funding from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative 2018-2019: Round 3 for establishing Construction Logistics and Community Safety  – Australia (CLOCS-A).

Over the next decade Australia will undergo an unprecedented $55 billion major city infrastructure build with potential for $20 billion in additional funding projected. The construction activity associated with these major projects will generate a significant increase in the number of heavy vehicles moving through metropolitan areas.

As an example, Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel project alone is expected to generate approximately 1 million additional truck movements throughout the City of Melbourne over the next five years.

NRSPP foresaw the risk these projects posed to vulnerable road users (VRUs) due to the increase in truck movements through urban areas but also to industry in delivering these major infrastructure projects and ensuring compliance with multiple contract requirements.

In recent years the United Kingdom (UK) faced the emergence of similar risks with a boom in city-based major infrastructure projects. In response, under the leadership of Transport for London (TfL), a program known as Construction Logistics and Community Safety (CLOCS) was developed. CLOCS is recognised as world’s best practice in protection for VRUs and has become the UK’s only construction vehicle safety standard in this space.

The CLOCS provides industry with a single safety performance standard for heavy vehicles, journey management, signage, branding, driver training, work site management and accreditation. The additional benefit is it acts as a single recognisable voice for public engagement to help other road users share the responsibility for their safety around construction vehicles.

Tangible benefits of CLOCS have been practically demonstrated also, with one authority achieving a 47% reduction in collisions and complaints following the introduction of CLOCS. For the UK, it established a single industry focused safety standard for infrastructure construction logistics

Professor Barry Watson, Independent Chair of the NRSPP, stated “This is an example of NRSPP’s collaborative leadership, which has involved working with industry to identify workable solutions that can be adapted locally. NRSPP signed a Memorandum of Understanding with TfL in 2016 to facilitate the adaption of CLOCS into Australia.

“The development of a local CLOCS program is a win-win for industry because it will enable the development of a single safety standard for infrastructure construction in Australia. This will result in improved operational safety protecting VRUs, cost savings due to a single set of contract specifications requirements instead of multiple ones, and a mechanism to meet Chain of Responsibility Requirements under section 26.c.”

Peter Binham, Transport for London lead of CLOCS, stated “TfL welcomes Australia’s adaption of CLOCS locally. We strongly believe road safety is a shared responsibility which underpins why TfL is willing to share CLOCS with other countries. We also believe the CLOCS program will itself benefit as other countries adapt it and in turn share the learnings.”

“Industry has been the big winner in the UK. With CLOCS as the standard it provided confidence to small operators to invest in safety because it guaranteed them access to major contracts.”

CLOCS also helped to break down the hostility between VRUs and truck drivers as both groups gained awareness of each other’s perspective which contributes to safer roads.

Over the next 12 months the development of the CLOCS-A program will be led by the Australian Road Research Board. Stage 1 of the project will include:

  1. Collation of existing initiatives
  2. Development of a standard and implementation plan
  3. Formation of technical groups and governance structure

Should you wish to be involved or kept informed, a website will be developed over the coming months and once live will be announced through NRSPP. In the meantime, for any specific enquires regarding CLOCS-A, please contact Stephanie Davy [email protected]

 

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