Event eases lorry worry

Iain Mitchell, managing director of John Mitchell Haulage, teamed up with renowned truck manufacturer Scania to take the safe cycle awareness event, and three massive lorries, to the Tinto Drive school.

Kate Connochie, Grangemouth High office manager, said: “Iain and I talked about doing this event when we were at Grangemouth Rotary Club.

“He knows how many big lorries there are driving through Grangemouth every day.”

The event, which will be held every year, involved a short talk inside the school giving youngsters information about different models of trucks which they may encounter out on the roads and showed them a couple of videos illustrating what can happen if you cycle beside one of these massive vehicles.

After a question and answer session, the pupils went outside to view the trucks Scania and Mr Mitchell had made available to see the sheer scale of them up close.

The youngsters took it in turns to sit in the cab of the vehicles to get an idea of what the driver can and, in some cases, cannot see when it comes to cyclists on the road.

Kate said: “This is the first time we have run this event and it was a great success.”

Everyone who took part in the safety awareness session received a rucksack and fluorescent vest and one pupil was given the chance to go on a ride along on board a Mitchell Haulage truck.