RISC UK LENDS SUPPORT TO NEW POLITICAL CAMPAIGN TO BOOST RESCUE & RECOVERY SAFETY & RECOGNITION

Leading members of the Roadside Rescue & Recovery Industry have secured the backing of the Recovery Industry Support Charity (RISC) to help fund a new campaign aimed at securing advances in industry safety by raising awareness of the industry in Westminster and Whitehall. Some work providers are also supporting the initiative. The campaign aims to increase safety, ensure that future legislation takes into account the needs of the industry and to establish it in the minds of policy makers, the public and the media as the 4th Emergency Service. The campaign will be run by Peter Carroll and his team at Tendo Consulting. Peter and his team have a long record of campaign success. He was the architect of Joanna Lumley’s famous Gurkha campaign and was co-founder of the FairFuelUK campaign (now under separate management) that successfully saw the end of the fuel duty escalator.

Richard Goddard of AutoManiaGroup said, ‘For far too long our industry has been overlooked by Government. We provide a vital service to motorists and businesses alike. Without us, the nation would literally grind to a halt. And there continues to be a number of casualties, some of them fatal. This has to stop. Everyone who works in our industry has the right to be able to go home after their shift safe and well. No family should have to endure the knock on the door from the Police informing them that their loved one has been seriously hurt or killed carrying out roadside recovery and rescue. We will be holding an industry launch at the Tow Show. And I’ll be urging industry companies to make a modest monthly contribution of £42.00 to add to the initial funding.

Andy Lambert, Chair of Trustees at RISC said, ‘At RISC we have become more and more frustrated by the number of injuries, sometimes fatal, sustained as a result of attending broken down vehicles. There have been many attempts to change things over the years by well-meaning individuals and trade bodies, but despite their best efforts progress has been slow. Our industry is expert at rescue and recovery. We are convinced that it’s now time to bring in experts in campaigning and lobbying to help advance our fight for greater safety and to make sure politicians are aware of the vital role played by us all. We believe that Peter and his team are best placed to take on this mission’.

Peter Carroll said, ‘We are delighted to be helping run this vital campaign. I was a road haulier for over 15 years and still have an affinity with all things highways and wheels. A few days ago I met the partner of one of the men recently killed on the M25 whilst out on a job. Listening to her tell the story of that tragedy and the almost unimaginable suffering that it has caused was very upsetting and moving. The Government can and should do more to help this industry. We will be working with RISC and those members of the industry that wish to be involved to engage with MPs and Ministers. Our work will involve, but not be limited to, forming an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) as a matter of urgency’.