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'Ridiculous' Direct Vision Standard could ban half of London's HGVs


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Commercial Motor  / March 21, 2017

The RHA has labelled the Direct Vision Standard “a fiasco” after it said TfL had predicted half of the HGVs operating in London would be banned from the city by 2024.

The association attended a meeting with TfL today (17 March) in which it said the transport body estimated that of the 188,000 HGVs operating in the capital, 35,000 would be banned from London by 2020, rising to 94,000 by 2024.

The standard, first announced last September, will assign HGVs star ratings based on in-cab visibility.

Only those with the highest rating will be allowed to enter London when the proposed legislation takes full effect in 2024.

RHA chief executive Richard Burnett said: “This is a fiasco - it is shocking attack on business in the capital. 

“The cost of this will be met initially by road hauliers, but will eventually be picked up by the people of London.

“Businesses and people depend on lorries to deliver the goods they need, including the food we eat.

“It seems TfL is determined to undermine the competitiveness of London. The timings and requirements that are being specified are ridiculous.”

Burnett added that with restrictions on vehicle emissions also to contend with, TfL’s standards are “impossible” for operators to comply with.

“It’s impossible for a haulier to buy a vehicle now that complies with TfL standards as no vehicle has been assessed against any standard,” he said.

“It is absurd to expect businesses to invest many tens of thousands of pounds in new, clean Euro-6 vehicles only to have them banned by TfL in a little over two years' time.

"Of course we understand the need to make the roads as safe as possible, but this proposal has run off the rails. It is simply not credible.”

TfL queried the RHA's figures from the meeting, but did not respond to requests for further information.

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 KSB,are the local authorities demanding the lorrie or is it lorry? Owners get rid of their almost new vehicles because they don't meet visibility standards? How about retrofitting dashcams or improved convex mirrors? Would have to be cheaper!

Billy, they're speaking of banning trucks that don't meet their "direct vision" standards.

While I very much understand their good intentions on "direct vision", I think they've gone too far. It's unrealistic.

BC Mack, what are your thoughts?

Amazing how history repeats itself.... back in the 60's a similar thought process went through the industry that drivers couldn't see very well.. so Atkinson produced the "Viewline"....

I don't see the argument. Have they seen those US truckers with a chrome front bumper used as a sunvisor, and the seat so low the forward view must be that of a submariner looking through a periscope...??

Maybe they will smarten up post Brexit and stop being silly buggers and get on with running the country and not just making up new rules to secure 'work' for jobsworths..!!!

BC Mack

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"OPERTUNITY IS MISSED BY MOST PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS DRESSED IN OVERALLS AND LOOKS LIKE WORK"  Thomas Edison

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P.T.CHESHIRE

 KSB,are the local authorities demanding the lorrie or is it lorry? Owners get rid of their almost new vehicles because they don't meet visibility standards? How about retrofitting dashcams or improved convex mirrors? Would have to be cheaper!

Several thoughts come to mind ! I'm sure the UK has some type of special interest lobbyists, like we do! Is there a truck manufacturer building vehicles that meet the latest visibility standards wink wink? Is anything getting " greased" besides the fifth wheel? All of us of a certain age remember that gawdawful cornbinder Cabover with the large auxiliary Windows in the front! Safety is always the #1 issue in trucking ! But it can be accomplished without replacing an existing perfectly safe truck! No matter what country/ municipality is involved, If the trucking concerns are required to replace their equipment to enter a high volume freight area they will have to raise their rates to stay profitable,and their customers will suffer and have to possibly raise the price of their goods! That ol' Reaganesque  " trickle down " thing! Any of you old guys see that " concept truck" in " Overdrive"  in the 60s The entire tractor backed flush under the trailer! Great curbside visibility totally unsafe! If you have that issue please post the picture !

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