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More than 1,500 lorry and van drivers working in the capital have been given cycling training as part of a new initiative to help combat deaths on London roads.

Travis Perkins, the largest builders’ merchant in the UK, has put 1,650 of its drivers through a day of training to give them a perspective of what it is like as a cyclist in London.

The company, which has 182 London branches and several hundred vehicles in the capital on a daily basis, has been enrolling its staff on the Safe Urban Driving (SUD) course. The training is accredited by the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS), started by Transport for London.

The course takes place over one day, with three-and-a-half hours of classroom-based learning followed by the same time on a bike on the road.

Jeff Morris, 63, drives a 32-tonne lorry — one of the biggest in the Travis Perkins fleet in London. The driver, based in Battersea, said: “I was sceptical about the training. However when I did it I was surprised. Cycling with a truck beside you is genuinely scary. I am glad I got to see that for myself and can now play a role in making the streets of London safer for cyclists.”

Ron Searle, the firm’s head of group transport risk and compliance, said the move was part of Travis Perkins’ commitment to road safety.

He said: “The aim of the training is to put drivers in the shoes of cyclists and make them aware of how frightening it is to cycle next to a lorry. It has been hugely successful and we are delighted to make a long-term commitment that puts this at the heart of our training programme for drivers.

“What has been fascinating is that most drivers are initially reluctant to get on a bike. However, when they do it they are vocally supportive, highlighting how useful the exercise was and just how scary heavy goods vehicles can be when on a bike in the drivers’ blind spots.”

Mr Searle added that all of their fleet have a left-turning sound alarm.