Arriva Merseyside Risk Manager Matthew Mort has been named Road Risk Manager of the Year at the UK Fleet Champions Awards, staged by road safety charity Brake.
The awards celebrate work done by fleet organisations across the country to prevent road deaths and injuries.
Mr Mort won his category for having implemented exemplary road risk management policies with proven results at the operator, and he is cited by Arriva Merseyside as having played a central role in transforming depot and driver safety performance.
He has led the business to strengthen its approach to driver behaviour, fatigue, vehicle safety and post-collision learning, putting both preventable and responsive measures in place.
That work has already been recognised nationally, with Arriva Merseyside commended in the Best Driver Risk Management Performance category at the Safety and Health Excellence Awards.
Mr Mort created the operator’s Stop and Stay campaign, which was devised to help children and parents understand the dangers of crossing in front of buses. That approach reached schools and communities across Merseyside and continues to be rolled out.
The operator says that Mr Mort’s win at the UK Fleet Champions Awards recognises not only the results he has delivered, but the way in which he has achieved them. It notes that he has “a natural ability to engage and inspire colleagues, encouraging a culture where safety is everybody’s responsibility.”
Speaking about the win, Mr Mort says: “I am so pleased to have received this award, but it is not just about the work I have done. This recognition is a reflection of the care, professionalism and hard work shown by our drivers, trainers and depot teams every day.
“Road safety is at the heart of everything we do, and I am proud that the positive impact we are making has been recognised in this way.”
Arriva North West Area Director Richard Hoare has congratulated Mr Mort, adding: “Matthew’s dedication and innovation have made a real difference to safety for both our colleagues and the communities we serve.
“This award is very well deserved and underlines the high standards he has helped us to to set across the business.”
