This award will go to the organisation, operator or employee who, in the opinion of the judges, has made the most innovative contribution towards safety and safe driving during the past year.

Results 2017

Winner, Gold Award

Route risk assessment maps at Stamford Brook garage – RATP Dev UK

Overhanging trees, sudden bends, parked cars, potholes, winding roads can all make navigating a bus along a route challenging for a new driver. At RATP Dev London’s Stamford Brook garage, one driver with a particular interest in road safety has addressed this problem by designing large 8ft x 2ft route risk assessment maps in which every possible hazard has been plotted. These maps are kept in the area of the garage where drivers sign on so they can study them. The maps are particularly valued by new drivers, and not only help drivers avoid minor bumps and scraps, but they also assist them in boosting their Drivewell (RATP Dev London’s internal driver monitoring standards system) scores, sometimes from ‘acceptable’ to ‘excellent’. Driver Cliff Ottley-Thistlethwaite who produced the maps is now working on a handy A4 spiral-bound route risk assessment book for each route containing a scaled-down version of the route risk assessment maps, broken down into 40 sections.

Although only two entries were received for this category, the judges were keen to say that both of them were very good, but it was the route assessment maps that took the Gold. Noting that the work had been done by a driver in his spare time, the judges were pleased to see that RATP Dev London had now picked up the idea, which the judges thought could have an application on many routes throughout the country.

Winner, Silver Award

‘A Stone’s Throw Away’ safety film – Xplore Dundee

Xplore Dundee has created an innovative and educational safety film ‘A Stone’s Throw Away’ in partnership with Scottish Fire & Rescue, Police Scotland, Connect 5 Offsite Learning Centre, Dundee City Council and Scottish Ambulance Service. The project was developed early in 2016 to tackle the ongoing problem of anti-social behaviour in the community, specifically the issue of young people throwing stones at buses and emergency vehicles. It was proposed that a DVD should be made, aimed at school pupils, which would clearly show them the potential consequences of stone-throwing and anti-social behaviour. The resulting short film shows a double decker bus targeted by a youth who throws a brick at the vehicle, breaking the window and injuring passengers. The bus swerves towards a young mum pushing a buggy, with catastrophic consequences. The film doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to highlighting the damage done to human lives. Each organisation played its part in acting out the scenario – an Xplore Dundee bus driver skilfully drove a double decker along a blocked off area of road as it was ‘stoned’ and then swerved to emulate an accident. Fire crews and paramedics arrived in full gear, tending to the ‘casualties’ and deploying equipment to lift the bus and retrieve a ‘casualty’ from underneath. Police officers acted out the moment of giving bad news to a relative of the victim in the film. These representatives lent an air of authenticity to the film, to such an extent that some viewers are unaware that the film is a recreated scenario, rather than a real-life one. Figures show the number of reports of smashed windows experienced by Xplore Dundee has fallen since the launch of the film and all organisations involved have also expressed interest in repeating the project, targeting other issues of anti-social behaviour and personal safety.

The judges were impressed with the number of agencies that had worked together on this film that delivers a lot of impact. They thought that this idea could also be extended to light rail operators.

You can view the film on YouTube here:

Who can be nominated?

This category was open to authorities, coach operators, individual managers or licensed PCV drivers.

… and by whom?

We welcomed nominations from employers, customers and organisations campaigning or promoting safety and safe driving. Self-nomination was acceptable.

Criteria and Entry Requirements

The award will be based on the quality of the information supplied. The information should:

• Describe the contribution made to safe driving by the individual or initiative

• State how the initiative was executed, showing the methods used and why

• Supply evidence showing the results or improvements made to safe driving

• State whether the results are likely to be sustainable and how they might be more widely applied in the industry

• Describe any future plans for further development.

• Supply appropriate examples of the any materials used in any campaign or initiative associated with the nomination.