Petition to ban lorries from London’s roads during rush-hour gets over 13,000 signatures.
The petition was launched after a fatal accident between a tipper truck and Ying Tao, a 26 year old cyclist, back in June.
This was the eighth time a cyclist had been killed in London during 2015, the seventh which involved a lorry.
The Mayor of London has said that they will consider the proposal but the RHA has warned against it as it would be extremely expensive to implement and maintain.
The petition which was organised by the
London Cycling Campaign (LCC), calls for a ban on all lorries over 7.5 tonnes from London’s road during the hours of 8.00am and 9.30am.
Campaigners have also requested compulsory ‘’
direct vision’’ lorries and stronger enforcement against ‘’rogue operators’’ using unlicensed vehicles with unqualified drivers.
The LCC think that direct vision lorries with glass doors and lower seats would help drivers to see cyclists in the front left blind spot of their lorry. Many bin lorries already have them due to the risk of hitting workers as they collect the bins.
The petition has the backing of the London Assembly, who recently voted unanimously to urge the mayor to implement the rush hour ban.
Assembly members have questioned the Mayor about how he is going to help cyclists during Mayors question Time. Boris responded and said officials would consider the proposal but he wasn’t personally that enthusiastic about the proposal.
The Green Party Assembly Member, Darren Johnson, said: ‘’London during peak times is simply not a suitable environment for huge trucks. The dangers they pose to cyclists and pedestrians are too great. Londoners should be able to cycle to work, or take the kids to school, without the fearing for their lives.’’
John Howells of the RHA said that the cost of fitting existing lorries with direct vision glass doors would be phenomenal.
The cab design of the lorry is constantly changing and evolving, but drivers seating positions have become higher in recent years to make enough room for equipment to met lower emissions standards.
Banning lorries from London during rush hour would force drivers to wait in dedicated lorry parks and disrupt urgent supermarket deliveries.
‘’I’m not saying that cyclist shouldn’t try to get by a moving vehicle, but that they should take care when it’s turning left.’’
Many lorry drivers feel that not enough is being done to educate cyclists and pedestrian of the dangers of lorries especially when they are in the drivers blind spots.