FORS, the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme, is to join forces with Project EDWARD, the UK’s biggest platform for showcasing good practice in road safety, to promote road safety standards in 2023.
Project EDWARD, which stands for ‘Every Day Without a Road Death’, champions the valuable work being done to support road safety around the UK. Looking holistically at every aspect of safety on the roads, the Project EDWARD team highlight the importance of vehicle safety systems, driver training and speed awareness, as well as the planning, design, and engineering of the road networks.
The partnership will see the two road safety advocates work together to raise awareness of the important role fleet operators have to play within the road safety arena. In particular, FORS will be promoting Project EDWARD’s theme for this year ‘Safer Mobility, Everyone’s Responsibility’ to its community of over 4,700 FORS Accredited Operators; encouraging fleet organisations to get involved and spread the word.
Commenting on the partnership, FORS Concession Director, Ian Henderson, said: “One of the most fundamental elements of FORS is the desire to raise road safety standards and support operators in their aim to follow best practice. Project EDWARD’s commitment to road safety closely mirrors our mission and aspirations, so we felt it was important we became involved as a strategic partner. We look forward to working with the team at Project EDWARD to make our roads a safer place and get our community of 4,700 accredited operators involved too.”
Project EDWARD has been running since 2016 and is best known for its ‘Week of Action’ initiative, which this year takes place from 15 to 19 May. The campaign invites leaders in road safety to join a national road trip visiting those companies, schemes and individuals who are going above and beyond in their commitment to improving road safety. Project EDWARD then showcases these initiatives through a programme of daily broadcasts, webinars, social media content and media engagement activity.
James Luckhurst, founder of Project EDWARD said: “We are delighted to be working with FORS in 2023. Our aim is to improve road safety measures for every road user, as this year’s theme ‘Safer Mobility, Everyone’s Responsibility’ demonstrates. Through FORS we can extend our national reach thanks to its Accredited Operator network. We hope this partnership will allow us to get closer to some of the excellent initiatives commercial fleets are already implementing and raise awareness of how much can still be achieved.”
The Project EDWARD partnership announcement comes just weeks after FORS was appointed as a CLOCS (Construction Logistics and Community Safety) Strategic Partner. Whilst FORS has been a CLOCS Champion since 2013, the Strategic Partner initiative enables FORS to identify opportunities for promoting CLOCS initiatives and other key activities to its network. FORS will also work with other members of the CLOCS Strategic Partnership, providing resources and expertise to promote the safety of vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists.