Arriva Bus meeting

On the 16th January I had a meeting with Ray Cowpe, Risk Manager and Steve Barrowclough Rhyl Depot Manager.

The came about from me sending a message to Arriva Bus about the relationship between buses and cyclists. I requested information about the training that is given to bus drivers.

I was then contacted by Ray with some information about the training that the drivers go through. He further offered the option of meeting together to discuss the matter in more detail. This was an offer I could not refuse. We arranged the meeting and on a cold January morning, I headed down to the depot.

When I arrived there, Ray asked me what the main concerns that I had were. I explained that buses often begin overtaking safely and end up cutting in on me and passing too closely. I also explained that I find it difficult to understand where the blind spots are in the mirrors and I would like to know where best to position myself.

I then met the depot manager who was also an instructor for the Rhyl and Wrexham depot.
We discussed the numerous and vigorous training programmes that the drivers go through and a few statistics were thrown my way.
I was informed that in 2012 there were 16 incidents with vulnerable road users in the North Wales and West area. Which was an improvement by 10 incident from 2011. However, Arriva are always on the path to get fewer and fewer incidents.

I then sat in the driving seat of the learning bus that they use to teach drivers and I had a chance to actually see the problems that the driver has with blind spots. There was a blind spot below the drivers window, and behind numerous pillars near the doors. It is amazing how much room you cannot see and how easily a pedestrian or cyclist can be hidden.

We then discussed the training that drivers have and that Arriva only use their own instructors so that they can teach exactly what they want and they can make sure that the drivers are up to scratch with the companies procedures and safety precautions.
I was impressed with the training that the drivers were given and the disciplinary procedures that there were if a driver did anything wrong.
We discussed distractions, forward thinking, and how difficult it is to monitor all the 120 drivers which are in the Rhyl depot.

I also showed the two gentlemen some selections of videos that I had just to demonstrate the problems that I experience. Ray said after we had watched the videos, that he would like to use the videos in some of the instructural videos that they do as they can be used to show what not to do and how a cyclist perceives the size of a bus. He also requested some screenshots which could be used in the 2013 posters for vulnerable road users which will be created in September time.

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and learnt a lot about Arriva and the procedures that are undergone. I also feel that both guys learnt a lot from being able to understand my concerns and hopefully it will help them in the future.