Cycle helmets deal in Royal Mail

Following five cycling deaths in three years, the CWU postal workers' union has reached an agreement with Royal Mail Service Delivery (RMSD) on trials of cycle helmets with a view to introducing them nation-wide. With a fleet of 30,000 cycles Royal Mail employs the largest cycling workforce in the UK. Following the deaths and pressure from the union, RMSD commissioned a study by the Transport Research Laboratory which concluded that wearing helmets could prevent fatal head injury. The research found that two thirds of dead cyclists have head injuries and two thirds of those deaths would have been avoided by the protection of energy absorbing cycle helmets.

Royal Mail and the CWU union are also urging postal workers to wear high visibility garments when working outdoors.