Posted: September 2019
Busworld Europe, the oldest and most prominent international conference on buses and coaches, will be taking place in Brussels this year from 18th – 23rd October. We’ll be there to demonstrate and promote our commercial vehicle safety solutions, which are particularly relevant this year following the launch of Transport for London’s Bus Safety Standard, part of the Vision Zero for London safety initiative.
There are two main groups of casualties in incidents involving London buses: bus passengers and vulnerable road users. A recent report from TfL shows the highest percentage of incidents involve buses colliding with pedestrians where they were crossing directly in front of the bus. Injuries to pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists from buses turning right or left also feature heavily.
With 6.5 million bus journeys undertaken in London daily, the Bus Safety Standard aims to prevent bus-related deaths and injuries in the capital, and ensure no-one is killed on or by London buses by 2030. It details the safety requirements which all buses on London’s network must have by 2024, and with which all new buses must be fitted from this year.
These include:
• Intelligent speed assistance
• An Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System for electric and other types of quietly-running buses
• Increased numbers of blind spot mirrors and reversing cameras
At Busworld Europe, we’ll be showcasing our exceptional range of vehicle safety camera systems to transport managers looking to ensure their bus fleets are compliant with the current requirements of the Standard, and also future-proofing for further phases.
Our UltraSonic Obstacle Detection sensors are perfect for commercial vehicles operating in confined spaces or manoeuvring at low speed. The detection system alerts the driver to obstacles close to the vehicle, whether moving or stationary. An audio and/or visual in-cab warning informs the driver of the distance to the obstacle whilst an optional external speaking alarm can be added to alert cyclists and pedestrians that the vehicle is turning. The range is compliant with CLOC and FORS and includes Backscan®, Sidescan®, Cornerscan® and Frontscan® for full coverage.
Frontscan® consists of four sensor systems fitted to the front of the vehicle and is particularly relevant for the front blind spot on high cabs where pedestrians and low objects can be hidden. Cornerscan® has a three-sensor system fitted to the nearside corner of the vehicle cab to detect objects in the front near side blind spot, which minimises the risk of incidents when manoeuvring or turning while reversing.
Our Quiet Vehicle Sounder (QVS) warns road users of an approaching electric or hybrid vehicle. These vehicles are almost silent and studies have shown that they increase the risk of incidents with pedestrians by 80%. This year, Transport for London is introducing around 3000 ultra-low-emission double-deck buses in Central London, and more than 250 zero emission single-deck buses are due to come into service in 2020.
The QVS uses a wide range of White Sound® frequencies which enable anyone in the direct path of the vehicle to locate instantly where the sound is coming from and take evasive action. It creates a ‘ssshhhh’ sound which is gentle on the ear and dissipates quickly once the vehicle has passed, meaning other people aren’t impacted by unnecessary sound.
Get in touch and find out how our innovative technology makes journeys safer for bus passengers, drivers and other vulnerable road users, or come and visit us on our stand at Busworld Europe – we’re looking forward to seeing you!
