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140 
P SAEETY LiEVICE TEST
Page 8
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Royal Mail to put the 'safest truck on UK roads' to the test
By Brian Weatherley BILLED AS POSSIBLY 'the safest truck on UK roads', a unique artic unveiled by Royal Mail will be tested over the next 12 months to see which of the 44 pieces of additional safety-related devices fitted to it could be specified as standard to the postal company's fleet trucks of the future.
The Safety Concept Vehicle (SCV) is based on a conventional DAF CF85 tractor and Cartwright double-deck trailer, but with a wide range of extra accidentprevention kit fitted.
According to Phil Murphy, Royal Mail's network operations director: "Is this the safest truck on UK roads? What we're trying to do is provoke some debate on road safety within the industry."
The SCV was launched at an industry seminar last week, which included major fleet operators Wincanton and John Lewis.
In developing its concept attic, Royal Mail has analysed its on-road and depot accident records and specified particular items of optional equipment in order to tackle areas of concern.
According to its latest RIDDOR data, the Royal Mail says 17% of accidents involved falls from vehicles.
In response, the SCV has improved step access to the rear of the trailer (with timed lighting) and a groundlevel slide-out suzie coupling set-up (similar to the original MAVIS design developed in the A A ground-level coupling system helps keep drivers safe
1990s). Other safety kit includes powered landing legs, remote tyrepressure monitoring, roll stability controls across the entire vehicle, a nearside blind-spot camera, a pedestrian proximity warning device and 'ramp approach braking', which automatically stops the vehicle when it is within a metre of a object — whether it is a loading bay, stationary obstacle or pedestrian. Only when it is safe to do so can the driver then slowly reverse the remaining distance.
Other Royal Mail RIDDOR concerns involved its drivers trapping their fingers or hands when closing the rear roller shutter.
To address this, the Cartwright doubledecker has a special sensor on the all-electric shutter that stops it descending if a hand or foot could be trapped.
To ensure a perfect match with the 16ft 2in-tall Cartwright double-decker, the DAF CF85 tractor has a powered roof-deflector (developed from the Cartwright Cheetah system), which can be raised or lowered from the cab.
The driver also has an automatic digital vehicle-height readout.
During the next 12 months. the SCV will be based at six of the Royal Mail network depots in order to generate driver and operational feedback on the additional safety equipment.
• CM will have an extended report on the Royal Mail SCV in our 21 May edition. For pictures and more information, just log on to www.roadtransport.comirmsafety