Ford’s Transport Operations team has partnered with the London Cycling Campaign to help reduce the number of collisions involving cyclists and vehicles.

As part of Ford’s Share the Road’ campaign – and launched as part of Road Safety Week to be ‘Bike Smart’ – the manufacturer is bringing its WheelSwap virtual reality experience to life.

This allows motorists to experience a journey from a cyclist’s perspective, and vice versa.

Nationally, 16% of cyclist deaths are caused by large goods vehicles (LGVs).

While 75% of LGV mileage is on non-built up roads, over the past three years, LGVs have been involved in 70% of cyclist fatalities in London, despite making up only 4% of the capital’s road miles.

The WheelSwap activity included Tom Bogdanowicz, senior policy and development officer, London Cycling Campaign, swapping perspectives with three drivers and driver trainers from the Ford Transport Operations team.

In the LGV, the conversation between the two road users focused on the vision of the driver – and situations where a cyclist is and is not visible to the driver, keeping the appropriate two-metre distance when passing a cyclist and ensuring LGV drivers do not enter ‘bike boxes’.

Ford, and its Transport Operations team took these messages into local schools during Road Safety Week with the WheelSwap VR experience and a static LGV activity.

After the ‘WheelSwap’ activity, the Ford Transport Operations team intend to trial the ‘Safer Urban Driving’ module – which includes a practical cycling element – as part of their Driver Certificate of Personal Competence (CPC).

They will also use the ‘WheelSwap’ VR in future vulnerable road user training.