ReturnLoads.net can report that the London Councils have launched a public consultation of its proposal that all trucks operating in the capital at night and at weekends should be fitted with side guards & proximity mirrors in a bid to improve cyclist’s safety.
Currently there are exemptions to regulations for trucks entering the capital under the London Lorry Control Scheme (LLCS), which operates at night and at weekends.
London Councils wants to remove the exemptions but the move is resisted by the Freight Transport Association, which says it is not an appropriate way to improve the safety of cyclists.
The FTA’s Head of Urban Logistics and Regional Policy, Christopher Snelling said, “London Councils, and the boroughs it consists of, should have looked at updating the Control Scheme and planning and environmental health requirements, in order to allow quiet deliveries out-of-hours.
“This would enable as many lorries as possible to operate outside the peak hours when most cyclists are on the roads.
“This is an example of regulatory creep. A scheme introduced to deal with one issue – noise – is now being used to deal with another – safety. Transport for London still intends to regulate in this area and the Department for Transport is also reviewing requirements. How many bodies need to regulate on one issue.
“The way to improve safety is to take intelligent, targeted measures that can reduce the number of incidents and their severity. For HGVs, this means focusing on low quality operators who fail to follow current legal safety requirements.”
The deadline for responses to the proposal is 28 February 2014.