This year, Road Safety Week takes place from 15-21 November, with the theme Safe People on the Move. Run by the road safety charity Brake, it’s a week that asks all of us, from families and schools to businesses like ours, to stop and think about how we use the roads and how we can make them safer for everyone.

With a fleet of 4 no. 3.5 tonne drop side flatbed vehicles and a 12 tonne drop side flatbed vehicle, travelling around the country making deliveries daily, road safety is part of everyday life for us here at Abbey Pipework.

Our vans are on the road every day

When people think of a pipework fabrication business they most likely picture the workshop: the welding, the precision, the finished spools and assemblies. But getting that work safely to our customers matters just as much as making it. Our fleet is out on the roads daily, delivering high quality pipework across the UK, sharing space with pedestrians, cyclists, school runs and other drivers.

Every one of those journeys is a responsibility we take seriously. Our drivers aren’t just transporting materials; they’re representing our business and, more importantly, they’re people who deserve to get home safely at the end of the day, just like everyone they share the road with.

Why it matters

The numbers behind why road safety needs to be taken seriously are quite sobering. 

1,700 people die on UK roads every year, and a further 30,000 suffer serious, life-changing injuries. Brake’s CEO has pointed out that five people die on UK roads every day.  Brake reveals details for Road Safety Week 2026 +2

Behind every one of those figures is a family and a community. As a business with vehicles on the road, we know we have a part to play in bringing those numbers down.

Proud to be FORS Silver accredited

This is one of the reasons why we’re proud to have once again achieved FORS Silver accreditation in September.

FORS (the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme) is a nationally recognised accreditation that sets standards for safety, efficiency and environmental performance in fleet operations. It has three levels (Bronze, Silver and Gold), and reaching Silver means we demonstrate that we go beyond the basics. 

It reflects our commitment to:

• Regular vehicle checks and maintenance, keeping our vans safe and roadworthy
• Monitoring and improving our fleet performance, from fuel efficiency to reducing risk
• Protecting vulnerable road users, including pedestrians and cyclists

Achieving Silver took real effort from our whole team, and we’re incredibly proud of our drivers for the care and professionalism they bring to every delivery.

Safe People on the Move

This year’s theme for Road Safety Week is “safe people on the move”. 

We think it captures exactly what we believe: road safety is about people. For us it’s about making sure that all of our drivers delivering your important products are operating in the safest way possible, for themselves, pedestrians and the wider communities we serve.

This Road Safety Week, we’re reaffirming our commitment to keeping our drivers and everyone around them safe, and we’d encourage everyone to do the same. 

Slow down, stay focused, leave the phone alone, and look out for one another.

To find out more about Road Safety Week, visit brake.org.uk/road-safety-week