FTA against safety move to ban lorries in cities

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) have responded to reports that Prime Minister, David Cameron, told the All Party Parliamentary Group that he has asked officials at the Department for Transport to look into the feasibility of restricting lorries at peak times in busy city centres.

The FTA have written to Mr Cameron on the issue of cycling safety and are in on-going discussions with the Department of Transport to find  solutions to improve road safety while maintaining efficiency.

The push for greater road safety from MPs comes after a number of high profile cycling deaths in London

HGVs were involved in 53% of cycling deaths in London between 2008 and 2012. The design of the vehicles means that cyclists are vulnerable to some of the blind spots that make it difficult for drivers in terms of the visibility around the cab.

Chair of the Health Select Committee, Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston has also said there was a case to be made for restricting lorries: “Six out of seven of the deaths in London have been women killed by construction lorries at junctions.

“It’s so important that women are not deterred from cycling on safety grounds and there is far more that can be done to reduce the risks.”

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, had previously investigated the possibility of imposing a rush-hour lorry ban in London but ultimately rejected the proposal, citing the possibility that restrictions could simply lead to casualties occurring outside the restricted hours.

Christopher Snelling, Head of Urban Logistics at FTA, outlined a number of alternative measures and actions that the FTA feel would present a better approach to making congested city roads safer.

These include:

Increased targeted enforcement against HGVs and drivers that do not comply with safety regulations in key areas such as London

Improved road infrastructure, such as road surfaces and junctions

Tipper vehicle operators to commit and work to the Construction Logistics and Cyclist Safety (CLOCS) standard

Incentives from Government to make lorries with better visibility more available and commercially viable

Allowing deliveries operators to work outside the peak, such as easing night-time restrictions like the London Lorry Control Scheme (that ends at 7am each morning)

Progressive improvement of safety standards for vehicle equipment from DfT, in line with what is possible for industry

Mr Snelling said: “Even a medium-sized lorry would have to be replaced with 10 vans – which means overall safety would not be improved, let alone the emissions and congestion consequences. It has to be remembered that we don’t choose to deliver at peak times on a whim – our customers need goods at the start of the working day.

“What we are looking at is the safety of everyone. For example while early morning is rush hour for cyclists, the pedestrian peak is later. Forcing deliveries outside morning peak would interact with another group of vulnerable road users.

“All road users have a role to play in improving road safety. Better awareness, training and behaviour is needed on all sides to make our roads as safe as they can be. Things can improve. The number of HGVs involved in fatalities in the UK has halved in the last 12 years, which shows the success of the progressive approach to improving safety.”

The post FTA against safety move to ban lorries in cities appeared first on UK Construction Online.