National Express (NX) is fitting its coach fleet with warning stickers after working with the cycling community to improve road safety for cyclists.
Stickers will be fitted to the wing mirrors warning drivers to watch out for cyclists and a sticker alerting cyclists to potential blind spots will be fitted to vehicles in the coming weeks.The stickers were designed by NX and a focus group of cyclists and experts at charity Sustrans who were briefed to come up with high-impact graphics. A selection of existing stickers were reviewed, before a number of new designs were produced. Two final designs were put to a public vote online. The ballot was hosted by Sustrans, which is working in partnership with NX on cycle safety awareness.
In the end the triangle narrowly beat a large eye design as the best way to focus riders’ attention on the coach driver’s blind spot. NX has introduced the stickers as part of a wider initiative to improve cycle safety awareness.
The initiative will also see the coach operator’s driver training and education programme developed with a focus on sharing space with cyclists and other road users.
NX UK Coach MD Tom Stables said: “Cyclists are more aware than anyone else of which designs are the most eye catching and effective to riders. That’s why we wanted the cycling community to be fully involved in the production of these stickers, so it’s fantastic to see cyclists have had their say at every stage of its development.
“We are passionate about road safety and we are looking forward to working in partnership with Sustrans to further develop our cyclist awareness programme.”
Yvonne Gilligan, West Midlands Regional Director at Sustrans said: “This is only part of the solution, but it’s a positive step forward, and part of a wider programme of work that NX is developing which includes a wing mirror sticker for drivers, as well as new driver training.”
