BOSSES at an aluminium smelting business faced opposition when they announced a new driver training scheme for staff.

Anglesey Aluminium in Holyhead wanted to provide driver training for more than 200 of its 550-strong workforce following a safety directive from its parent company, the Rio Tinto mining conglomerate.

The subsidiary operates about 20 vans and 10 management cars while a number of employees use their own vehicles or hire cars on company business.

Driver attitudes have now changed following the introduction of risk awareness and on-road driving training provided by Peak Performance. The company introduced risk awareness workshops and one-to-one, behind-the-wheel training.

Anglesey Aluminium training superintendent John Wynn Jones said: ‘Initially, there was a lot of opposition and reluctance to the new driver training regime. And while the risk awareness workshops were well received, there was still a degree of scepticism among staff.

‘However, after the first of the on-the-road sessions, attitudes changed almost overnight. Employees were very appreciative and began asking to go on the courses. They said the training had completely changed their attitudes to driving.’