After months of discussions, the announcement of a consultation on the proposed Direct Vision Standard (DVS) for HGV operators travelling into and out of London has been welcomed by FTA, the body which represents the UK’s logistics industry. But while the six-week consultation period launched today will give operators the chance to contribute their opinions on the new scheme, FTA does not believe that individual cities should be setting vehicle design standards.
“The future of road safety will be delivered through technological development and new vehicle design standards which FTA believes will be best set at an international level. It is misleading to expect all vehicle designs to be modified for the UK market – new cab design takes years and millions of pounds of investment to be brought to market, and manufacturers are unlikely to develop new vehicles for use in a single city, even one as busy as London. FTA has always believed that technological innovation is the only way to deliver the Mayor’s vision for an end to deaths and serious injuries on the capital’s roads by 2041.”
The consultation on the proposed London DVS opens today (8 January 2018) and will run for six weeks. And as Chapman continues, operators should make a point of responding as the voice of the logistics industry has already been heard in the process to date:
“It is encouraging to note that many of FTA member’s suggestions have already been taken on board as plans for the London Direct Vision Standard have progressed,” she says, “with a recognition of the need for greater detail on how the programme will actually operate now available. It is also welcome to see that those operating larger fleets will not be required to provide as much detail as first thought – logistics is already one of the most heavily legislated sectors of industry, and additional bureaucratic burdens at a time when the industry is under great economic and trading pressures would have been untenable.
“FTA is still keen to see how DVS can be adapted and moderated to make it workable for all, without the need for unnecessary financial penalties, time or operating burdens. If the industry can make its voice heard, we are confident that TfL will listen to what we have to say, for the sake of the London economy.”
“Safety is a multi-faceted challenge for all road users, not just HGV operators,” says Natalie Chapman , Head of Urban Policy at FTA, which represents more than 17,000 businesses, “and to focus attention solely on the view from the cab ignores the other challenges and potential dangers on the capitals roads. As an organisation, we have always been clear that the use of new technology alongside changes to new vehicle designs would be far more effective in reducing road deaths and injuries than direct vision alone – and with the time and cost involved in bringing new vehicles to the capital’s streets, any scheme which fails to use new technology will place an unfair financial burden on those charged with delivering what London needs, on time and on budget, every single day.”
Efficient logistics is vital to keep Britain trading, directly having an impact on more than seven million people employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc. A champion and challenger, FTA speaks to Government with one voice on behalf of the whole sector, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers.
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