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Gas fears addressed
Page 18
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Safeway is taking note of its drivers' fears over their gas fuelled Scanias. Chris Tindall reports.
SAFE WAY DRIVERS say the supermarket is finally listening to their concerns over driving compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks and has accepted there are problems with the vehicles.
Three meetings between representatives from the GMB union, drivers and the Aylesford depot bosses have resulted in steps being taken to overcome difficulties encountered with the re-engined Scania 3-Series trucks.
Driver Tom Couchman says the supermarket will allocate CNG vehicles only to those drivers who want to drive them. Each CNG truck cab will contain a log book for defects to be recorded. He says Safeway has told drivers to pull over immediately if a truck runs into problems and it will be recovered.
"All we needed was for them to admit there's a problem and speak to the drivers, which they are now doing," says Couchman. "[But] lam very wary.The law of averages says someone could be involved in an accident."
GMB organiser Jeff Goswell told CM further investigations were being carried out into drivers allegations that the trucks are prone to sudden engine failure and extreme heat build-up in the cab (CM 9 October).
Responding to drivers' complaints that they have been ignored by Safeway for the past 18 months, Goswell says: "Maybe it's taken a period of time for the accumulation of information. I think [the CNG trucks] are as safe now as they have been for the last 18 months. The problems were acknowledged by all sides."
A spokesman for Scania refused to comment other than to say: "We are definitely looking into things."
A spokeswoman for Safeway says: "We are very proud of our CNG vehicles. All vehicles are fully risk assessed and meet Safeway's stringent health and safety standards."